Patriot Swim Club
Spring/Summer 2017
Long Course Season
Parent/Family Handbook
Table of Contents
PSC Swimmer N e w S w i m m e r Registration Form ..................................................... 2
Long Course 2017 Fees ................................................................................................... 3
Long Course Practice Schedule ...................................................................................... 5
Patriot Swim Club Member Expectations ..................................................................... 6
Practice and Meet Policies .............................................................................................6
Meet Sign--‐up Procedures ..............................................................................................7
Training Equipment ......................................................................................................... 7
10 Commandments for Swim Parents ........................................................................... 8
PSC Electronic Communication Policy .........................................................................10
PSC Anti--‐Bullying Policy… ............................................................................................11
PSC Swimmer Medical Release Form ......................................................................... 14
PSC Photo Release Form............................................................................................... 15
Signature Form ............................................................................................................. 15
Document checklist ....................................................................................................... 15
1
PSC New Swimmer Registration Form
Full Legal Name - ­ ­ Required
First Name:
Full Middle Name:
Last Name:
Preferred name:
_
Address:
_
Phone:
_
DOB:
Age:
_ Gender:
US Citizen: Yes or No
Email: _
_ Home phone:
Guardian #1 Name:
_
_email
Guardian #2 Name:
_
_email:
Are you transferring from another USA Swimming Team: Yes or No
If yes, which team:
__________________________________________________
2
Long Course 2017 Training Fees
Swimmers are placed in practice groups based on an initial evaluation by coaches in a tryout setting. Group
placement may remain stable over the course of the season or several seasons; however, the coaches are always
attentive to the development of individual swimmers and evaluating the fit of each swimmer’s group placement.
As swimmers improve and demonstrate that they have mastered the skills expected of them in their practice
group and in competition, they are moved to the next group
RED group (Introduction to year--‐ - ‐round club competitive swimming): $900
The RED group is made up of youngest swimmers -‐‐ typically 10 and under -‐‐ who are relatively new to
competitive swimming year round. The focus of this group is on the fundamentals of the sport -‐‐ stroke
technique, body position and awareness in the water, developing a positive attitude and having fun. RED group
swimmers will begin to learn to use the pace clock and other training equipment.
WHITE group (endurance and stroke technique): $1000
The WHITE group is typically made up of 12 and under swimmers who are still relatively new to swimming
competitively year round. Technical skill development remains a main focus of this group, however, endurance
building is introduced as an integral part of long-‐‐term training. WHITE group swimmers will be introduced to race
strategy, pacing and time standards while learning how to build positive and healthy relationships with their
teammates and competitors.
BLUE group (developing age groupers): $1200
The BLUE group is typically made up of 11-‐‐14 year old age group swimmers. By this point swimming has become
an important focus in the young athletes’ lives. BLUE group swimmers are introduced to goal setting in general
and meet and race goal setting. In the BLUE group technical aspects are refined and longer practices and dryland
training are introduced to help improve stamina and strength. Sportsmanship and a positive attitude will be
emphasized throughout both training and competition as BLUE group swimmers aim to reach the next level of
competitive swimming.
BRONZE group (age groupers): $1200
The BRONZE group is typically comprised of 13 and over swimmers who have become very committed to the
sport of swimming. Goal setting, enthusiasm and dedication are regularly utilized to approach longer practices
and harder competition. The main purpose of this group is to refine stroke technique and condition swimmers
who are ready to begin working towards the level of competition and athleticism required in high school, senior
and potentially college level swimming. BRONZE group swimmers are expected to view swimming as their major
athletic commitment and to be positive and supportive teammates for both their peers and younger swimmers
alike.
SILVER group (advanced age groupers): $1300
The SILVER group is made up of advanced age group swimmers who are typically age 13 and over and have
qualified for Age Group Championship level swim meets. Like in the BRONZE group, practices will be focused on
improving the swimmers’ stamina and strength as well as continuing to fine tune all technical aspects.
Sportsmanship and a positive, supportive attitude are expected throughout both training and competition. With
increased strength, knowledge and commitment, SILVER group swimmers will strive toward senior, national and
college level competitive swimming.
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GOLD group (senior group): $1300
The GOLD group is made up of our most advanced 13 and over swimmers. Swimmers in this group have
qualified for senior and national level swim meets and have shown great commitment to the sport of
swimming. These swimmers are role models for the rest of the team. Their actions and attitudes reflect good
sportsmanship and a healthy outlook on being scholar-‐‐athletes. The GOLD group swimmers focus on
endurance, fine tuning technical skills, race strategy and goal setting and are called upon by the coaches to
demonstrate excellence as leaders and mentors for the younger swimmers.
Swimmers are placed in practice groups based on an initial evaluation by the coaches in a tryout setting. Group
placement may remain stable over the course of the season or several seasons; however, the coaches are always
attentive to the development of individual swimmers and evaluating the fit of each swimmer’s group placement.
As swimmers improve and demonstrate that they have mastered the skills expected of them in their practice
group, they are moved to the next group.
College or Spring Athlete: half off of your training group price.
For swimmers participating in another high school spring sport or college athletes returning home for the
summer.
Multiple Swimmer Discount: $250 off of price for each additional athlete after the first.
Pool Rental Fee per swimmer: $200 per athlete. $125 College or Spring Athlete
Due to the increased pool rental fees, PSC is continuing to collect a pool rental fee from each athlete.
The pool rental fee will be collected through the PSC online billing system on April 1 st.
One--­Time Team Registration Fee: $260 for first swimmer in family, $160 for each additional swimmer. This
applies to all new team members and includes a PSC team jacket, PSC suit, 2 caps and t-shirt. This applies to all
new team members. The registration fee will be collected through the PSC online billing system on April 1 st.
Meet fees: Meet fees will be determined by each meet. They are comprised of:
1. Swimmer participation fee – amount charged for swimmer to enter a meet by host team.
2. Individual or Relay event entry fee
3. New England Travel Team surcharge
4. Coaches Travel Expense Fee: $20 per meet per family except for home meets to cover the cost of
coaches’ travel, lodging, and food expenses.
You are accountable for meet fees. If you enter a meet, you will be billed. If you scratch the meet, you forfeit
the money. All meet fees will be collected through the PSC online billing system. Meet fees are typically
invoiced the week after the event and billed on the 1st of the month.
USA Swimming Registration Fee:
Each swimmer needs to be registered annually with USA Swimming through our Local Swimming Committee
(LSC), New England Swimming. The 2017 annual registration is $72 and is payable through the PSC online
billing system and will be billed on April 1st to new swimmers. Registration will be good until December 31,
2017.
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Long Course Practice Schedule:
Practice from March through June is generally held Monday-‐‐Friday afternoons between 3 and 6:30 PM and on
Saturday mornings. Practice from the end of school until the end of the season will be held Monday-‐‐Friday from
6:30-‐‐8:30AM at Quail ridge Country Club in Acton and 3:30-‐‐5:30PM at ABRHS. There will also be practice on
Saturday mornings at the high school. Morning practices and dryland will be scheduled several days during the
week. Variations in this schedule will occur throughout the season.
PSC Spring Practice Model Schedule (until end of school year)* (All at AB)
Bronze
Mon.
3:00-5:30
DL 5-5:30
4:30-6:30
Blue
No Practice
White
5-6:30
4:30-6:30
DL 4:30-5
4:30-6:30
DL 4:30-5
No Practice
Red
5-6:30
No Practice
Gold/Silver
Tues.
3-5
Weds.
3-5:30
DL 5-5:30
No Practice
Thurs.
3-5
Fri.
3-5
Sat.
6:30-8:30 AM
4:30-6:30
6:30-8:30 AM
4:30-6:30
6:30-8:30 AM
5-6:30
4:30-6:30
DL 4:30-5
4:30-6:30
DL 4:30-5
5-6:30
5-6:30
6:30-8:30 AM
5-6:30
No Practice
5-6:30
No Practice
4:30-6:30
Dryland and Mornings will be added.
PSC Summer Practice Model Schedule (end of school year to end of season)*
Gold/Silver
Mon.
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
Bronze
3:30-5:30 AB
Blue
Red/White
3:30-5:30 AB
7-8:20 QR
Tues.
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
3:30-5 AB
Weds.
3:30-5:30 AB
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
7-8:20 QR
Thurs.
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
6:30-8:30QR
3:30-5:30 AB
Fri.
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
6:30-8:30 QR
3:30-5:30 AB
7-8:20QR
3:30-5 AB
Sat.
6:30-8:30 AB
6:30-8:30 AB
6:30-8:30 AM
TBD
(White only)
Dryland will be added.
QR = At Quail Ridge
AB = At Acton Boxborough Regional High School
*All practices are subject to change, especially during holidays
RED swimmers are expected to attend 3 practices/ week.
WHITE swimmers are expected to attend 4-5 practices/ week.
BLUE and BRONZE swimmers are expected to attend 4-5 practices/week during school year & 5-6/week during summer.
SILVER swimmers are expected to attend 5-7 practices/ week during school year & 6-9/week during summer.
GOLD swimmers are expected to attend 5-7 practices/ week during the school year and 6-9/week during summer.
If swimmers are unable to attend this number of practices during a specific week, coaches should be informed
via e-mail. If poor attendance becomes an issue, coaches will meet with the swimmer and parents to discuss
their commitment to the team.
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Patriot Swim Club Member Expectations
1. You are committing your swimmer(s) to the full Long Course swim season beginning March 20, 2017
through the swimmer’s final meet of the season (this will depend upon for which championship meet the
swimmer qualifies). Club fees are non-‐‐refundable.
2. Meet entry fees are in addition to club fees. Once a meet entry is submitted to the host team, PSC is
financially obligated for these fees regardless of whether or not your swimmer participates in the meet. This
means that if you need to scratch from a meet after the entry is submitted, you are still required to pay the
meet fees.
3. All families are required to volunteer in some capacity. At many meets, PSC is asked to provide timers or
other volunteers. All parents are expected to sign up for volunteer positions when asked. All families are
required to volunteer at our team sponsored October meet. At the end of the season, families that have not
signed up and volunteered (timed, officiated, etc.) in some capacity will be charged $100 dollars.
4. All PSC swimmers are required to purchase team equipment as determined by the coaching staff. Please
see required equipment list.
5. The PSC website at www.patriotswimclub.org is updated regularly with practice and meet information.
Please check it regularly for the latest information.
6. All PSC swimmers are REQUIRED to participate in at least 50% of all meet sessions (not meets)
available to them. All swimmers must particpate at this level to continue on the team the following
season.
7. All PSC swimmers are REQUIRED to participate in the highest level meet for which they qualify and in relays
if needed.
Practice Policies
1. Swimmers are never to interfere with the progress of another teammate during practice or otherwise.
2. Parents are not allowed to stay and watch practice. Through years of experience, Coach Johnson has found
that parents can be more of a distraction than a help to their child’s swimming instruction. You are welcome to
come in and watch for the last 10 minutes of practice.
3. Swimmers should be on deck ready to swim 10 minutes before the designated practice start time so they
can stretch before entering the pool. Swimmers should NOT be arriving at the pool and heading to the locker
room at the designated start time.
4. A swimmer who is dismissed from practice due to sickness, minor injury, or behavioral circumstances is
expected to change in the locker room and report back to deck to be supervised until they are picked up or
practice is over. If your child is excused from practice for any reason, an e-‐‐mail or phone call will be made from
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the pool deck to inform you of the circumstances as well as set up a meeting when necessary.
Meet Policies
1. Swimmers are expected to attend at least half of the meet sessions (or days) available to their training
group each season. If swimmers cannot make this commitment they will not be asked to return the
following season. PSC is a competitive swim club, not solely a training group.
2. In order to compete at the highest level possible for our club, all swimmers that have qualified for championship
meets are REQUIRED to attend the meet (including finals) and be prepared to swim in all relays. Championship meets
include: all New England Regional, Silver and Age Group Championships, New England Senior and Open meets, Sectional
Meets, and National Meets. The July Last Chance Meet is also considered a championship meet for athletes who have not
yet qualified for New England Championships and these athletes are required to attend all sessions. Swimmers that are not
in attendance where they have qualified can expect a meeting with their coach and the family and may be asked to leave
the team. Emergencies, sickness, and prior engagements that you have notified your coaches about in advance are
exceptions.
3. At all meets, swimmers are expected to report to the deck 15 minutes prior to posted meet warm-‐‐up times.
Swimmers are expected to travel to Connecticut, Western Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and even New York
to compete in meets. Parents are responsible for transporting their swimmers to and from the meets.
4. Swimmers should report to their coaches immediately after each race. This means before a visit to their
parents and friends. Warm down, when available, should be next. Then it is time to visit with others.
5. Only credentialed coaches, officials and swimmers are allowed on the pool deck during meets unless the
parent has volunteered and checked in as a timer. Parents may not enter the deck area to talk with their
swimmer. Non-‐‐athletes on deck are not insured by USA Swimming and are thus a liability to the host team and
the facility. Swimmers usually have time throughout the meet to come up to the stands to see parents, but
should sit with the other athletes in our team area.
6. Parents and swimmers are expected to behave accordingly at meets. No foul language or disruptive
behavior will be tolerated.
Meet Sign--­up Procedures
The tentative PSC meet schedule will be posted on the website. This schedule is tentative because on some
occasions meets do fill up before the entry deadline. Because of this, Coach tries to get our entries in to the host
teams early. Roughly 4-‐‐6 weeks before a meet, an E-‐‐mail will be sent out asking swimmers to sign-‐‐up. At that
time, go to www.patriotswimclub.org. Under the particular event, click on “Attend this event” and follow the
directions. Please sign-‐‐up “no” if you will not be attending so that all swimmers are accounted. You will have 3-‐‐7
days to sign up for the meet. No late entries will be accepted. While parents and swimmers can choose events
for each meet, coaches have the final say in the entries.
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Training Equipment
Every swimmer is expected to show up to all practices with their equipment. This is even true when the
swimmer is arriving at practice directly from school. Please make sure that your swimmer is well equipped to
practice to the best of their ability. For example, this means that they have fins that fit, paddles that aren’t
broken, and extra goggles in their bags. Once we settle into the season the coaches will make sure to check
that all swimmers are fully equipped and ready to go. Equipment can be purchased at Swimwear-in-Motion at
the store or online. Some swimmers may be asked specifically to purchase recommended equipment if we feel
they will benefit significantly from it.
Red &
White
Required Equipment
Mesh equipment bag
Fins
Pull Buoy
Knee elastic
Extra goggles, caps and suits
Water bottle
Blue
Mesh equipment bag
Fins
Pull Buoy
Paddles
Knee elastic
Extra goggles, caps and suits
Water bottle
Bronze,
Silver &
Gold
Mesh equipment bag
Fins
Pull Buoy
Paddles
Snorkel
Knee elastic
Extra goggles, caps and suits
Water bottle
Optional: nose clip for backstroke and massage stick
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10 Commandments of Swim Parents
I. Thou shalt not impose thy ambitions on thy child. Every athlete develops at a different rate. It is
important to remember this. Your athlete should only focus on being the best he or she can be. Please
encourage this and only this.
II. Thou shalt be supportive no matter what. Your child should not worry about how his or her parents
will react to his or her races-‐‐ good or bad. Swimming should be fun for your athlete and something in which
he or she willingly participates.
III. Thou shalt not coach thy child. It is the job of the coaching staff to coach your child, not yours.
Remember, you are paying for professional coaching. Instead of coaching, it is your job to provide support
and encouragement to your child no matter what. When you coach your child on the side, you are
undermining the coaching staff and hurting the relationship between your athlete and his or her coach.
This could also cause confusion about to whom your athlete should be listening to when it comes to
technique and race strategy.
IV. Thou shalt only have positive things to say at a competition. This cannot be stressed enough.
Remember to encourage and never criticize your athlete, any team members, or members of the coaching
staff. Remember how contagious negativity is and how quickly your child will pick up on your negative
attitude.
V. Thou shalt acknowledge thy child's fears. Sometimes an athlete is nervous about swimming an event
for the first time or feels as though he or she is under a lot of pressure. This is okay and normal. Remind
your athlete that they are ready to swim this race and they would not be signed up for it if they weren’t.
Also remind them that you will love them no matter what!
VI. Thou shalt not criticize the officials. Officials are individuals that volunteer their time to help make our
sport as fair as possible. Most of these individuals are parents. Remember, they are doing the best that they
can and they are in fact volunteers.Thou shalt honor thy child's coach. The relationship between a swimmer
and his or her coach is very important to his or her success and fun in the sport. Please do not criticize your
child’s coach in front of him, her, or any other athlete. Doing so will negatively impact your athlete’s success.
Please bring any concerns you may have to the coaching staff directly.
VII. Thou shalt be loyal and supportive of thy team.
VIII. Thy child shalt have goals besides winning. Improvement should be your child’s goal-‐ not solely winning.
IX.
Thou shalt not expect thy child to become an Olympian. There are only just over 50 spots on the
Olympic team every 4 years. The chances of your child becoming an Olympian are .002% and it is important
to remember that early success does guarantee anything. There is so much more to swimming than the
Olympics. Swimming helps build self-‐‐discipline, self-‐‐esteem, time management skills, fitness, and life-‐‐long
friendships. These are things your athlete can have forever.
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Electronic Communication Policy of the Patriot Swim Club
PURPOSE
The Patriot Swim 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 when adults use these methods to communicate with minors.
GENERAL CONTENT
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. Whether
one is an athlete, coach, 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?”
Communication should be transparent, accessible, and professional.
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 par 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.
FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER
Coaches and athletes under 18 may not be friends or follow one another on Facebook or Instagram. Coaches
should have both their Instagram and Facebook profiles set to private so that athletes may not access their
information. Instant messaging via Facebook or any other method between athletes and coaches is also
prohibited. PSC has an official Facebook page that athletes and their families can “like” for information an
updates on current matters. The club also has an official Twitter page that athletes and their families can
access for updates as well. Coaches and athletes may follow one another on Twitter, but direct messages and
“retweets” are prohibited between the two. The club twitter account may “retweet” or reply to athletes only
when their tweet pertains to team activities or is directed at the club account.
TEXTING
Subject to the guidelines mentioned above, texting is allowed between coaches and athletes. Texts should be
used for the purpose of communicating information directly related to team activities.
EMAIL
Athletes and coaches may use email to communicate as well. When communicated via e--‐mail it is best
practice to include more than one coach on the e--‐mail conversation.
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.
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Anti--­bullying Policy of the Patriot Swim Club
PURPOSE
Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at the Patriot Swim Club and will not be tolerated. Bullying is
counterproductive to team spirit and can be devastating to a victim. PSC is committed to providing a safe,
caring and friendly environment for all of our members. If bullying does occur, all athletes and parents should
know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. Anyone who knows that bullying is happening
is expected to tell a coach, athlete/mentor, or other designated individual.
Objective of PSC’s Bullying Policy and Action Plan:
1. To make it clear that PSC will not tolerate bullying in any form.
2. To define bullying and give all coaches, parents and swimmers a good understanding of what
bullying is.
3. To make it known to all parents, swimmers and coaching staff that there is a policy and protocol
should any bullying issues arise.
4. To make how to report bullying clear and understandable.
5. To spread the word that PSC takes bullying seriously and that all swimmers and parents can be
assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported.
WHAT IS BULLYING?
The USA Swimming Code of Conduct prohibits bullying. Generally, bullying is the use of aggression, whether
intentional or not, which hurts another person. Bullying results in pain and distress.
The USA Swimming Code of Conduct defines bullying in 304.3.7. Bullying is the severe or repeated use by one
of more USA Swimming members of oral, written, electronic, or other technological expression, image, sound,
data, or intelligence of any nature (regardless of method of transmission), or a physical act or gesture, or any
combination thereof, directed at any other member that to a reasonably objective person has the effect of:
i. causing physical or emotional harm to the other member or damage to the other member’s
property;
ii. placing the other member in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his/her
property;
iii. creating a hostile environment for the other member at any USA Swimming activity;
iv. Infringing on the rights of the other member at any USA Swimming Activity; or
v. materially and substantially disrupting the training process or the orderly operation of any USA
Swimming activity (which for the purposes of this section shalt include without limitation, practice,
workings, and other related events).
REPORTING PROCEDURE
An athlete who feels that he or she has been bullied is asked to do one or more of the following:
1 Talk to your parents;
1 Talk to a Club Coach or other designated individual;
1 Write a letter or email to the Club Coach or other designated individual;
1 Make a report to the USA Swimming Safe Sport staff.
There is no express time limit for initiating a complaint under this procedure, but every effort should be made
to bring the complaint to the attention of the appropriate club leadership as soon as possible to make sure
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that memories are fresh and behavior can be accurately recalled and the bullying behavior can be stopped as
soon as possible.
HOW WE HANDLE BULLYING
If bullying is occurring during team-‐‐related activities, we STOP BULLYING ON THE SPOT using the following
steps:
1. Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help.
2. Separate the kids involved.
3. Make sure everyone is safe.
4. Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs.
5. Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders.
6. Model respectful behavior when you intervene.
If bullying is occurring at our club or is reported to be occurring at our club, we address the bullying by
FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED and SUPPORTING THE KIDS INVOLVED using the following approach:
FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED
1. First, we get the facts.
a. Keep all the involved children separate.
b. Get the story from several sources, both adults and kids.
c. Listen without blaming.
d. Don’t call the act “bullying” while you are trying to understand what happened.
e. It may be difficult to get the whole story, especially if multiple athletes are involved or the
bullying involves social bullying or cyber bullying. Collect all available information.
2. Then, we determine if it’s bullying.
There are many behaviors that look like bullying but require different approaches. It is important to determine
whether the situation is bullying or something else.
a. Review the USA Swimming definition of bullying;
b. To determine if the behavior is bullying or something else, consider the following questions:
--‐What is the history between the kids involved?
--‐Have there been past conflicts?
-‐‐Is there a power imbalance? Remember that a power imbalance is not limited to physical strength.
It is sometimes not easily recognized. If the targeted child feels like there is a power imbalance
there probably is.
--‐Has this happened before? Is the child worried it will happen again?
c. Remember that it may not matter “who started it.” Some kids who are bullied may be seen as
annoying or provoking, but this does not excuse the bullying behavior.
d. Once you have determined if the situation is bullying, support all of the kids involved.
Supporting the kids involved
3. Support the kids who are being bullied
a. Listen and focus on the child. Learn what’s been going on and show you want to help. Assure the child that
bullying is not their fault.
b. Work together to resolve the situation and protect the bullied child. The child, parents, and fellow team
members and coaches may all have valuable input. It may help to:
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i. Ask the child being bullied what can be done to make him or her feel safe. Remember that changes
to routine should be minimized. He or she is not at fault and should not be singled out. For example,
consider rearranging lane assignments for everyone. If bigger moves are necessary, such as switching
practice groups, the child who is bullied should not be forced to change.
ii. Develop a game plan. Maintain open communication between the PSC and the parents. Discuss the
steps that will be taken and how bullying will be addressed going forward.
c. Be persistent. Bullying may not end overnight. Commit to making it stop and consistently support the
bullied child.
4. Address bullying behavior
a. Make sure the child knows what the problem behavior is. Young people who bully must learn their behavior
is wrong and harms others.
b. Show kids that bullying is taken seriously. Calmly tell the child that bullying will not be tolerated. Model
respectful behavior when addressing the problem.
c. Work with the child to understand some of the reasons he or she bullied. For example:
i. Sometimes children bully to fit in or just to make fun of someone is a little different from them. In
other words, there may be some insecurity involved.
ii. Other times kids act out because something else—issues at home, abuse, stress—is going on in their
lives. They also may have been bullied. These kids may be in need of additional support.
d. Involve the kid who bullied in making amends or repairing the situation. The goal is to help them see how
their actions affect others. For example, the child can:
i. Write a letter apologizing to the athlete who was bullied.
ii. Do a good deed for the person who was bullied, for PSC, or for others in your community.
iii. Clean up, repair, or pay for any property they damaged.
e. Avoid strategies that don’t work or have negative consequences:
i. Zero tolerance or “three strikes, you’re out” strategies don’t work. Suspending or removing from the
team swimmers who bully does not reduce bullying behavior. Swimmers may be less likely to report
and address bullying if suspension or getting kicked off the team is the consequence.
ii. Conflict resolution and peer mediation don’t work for bullying. Bullying is not a conflict between
people of equal power who share equal blame. Facing those who have bullied may further upset kids
who have been bullied.
f. Follow-‐‐up. After the bullying issue is resolved, continue finding ways to help the child who bullied to
understand how what they do affects other people. For example, praise acts of kindness or talk about what it
means to be a good teammate.
5. Support bystanders who witness bullying.
Every day, kids witness bullying. They want to help, but don’t know how. Fortunately, there are a few simple,
safe ways that athletes can help stop bullying when they see it happening.
a. Be a friend to the person being bullied;
b. Tell a trusted adult – your parent, coach, or other designated individual;
c. Help the kid being bullied get away from the situation. Create a distraction, focus the attention on
something else, or offer a way for the target to get out of the situation. “Let’s go, practice is about to start.”
d. Set a good example by not bullying others.
e. Don’t give the bully an audience. Bullies are encouraged by the attention they get from bystanders. If you
do nothing else, just walk away.
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Patriot Swim Club Emergency Medical Release
Swimmer Name:
Date of Birth:
Parent(s) / Guardian Name:
Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Home Phone:
Cell Phone:
Work Phone:
Other Phone:
Emergency contact information if Parent/Guardian cannot be reached:
Name:
Home Phone:
Cell Phone:
MEDICAL INFORMATION – Please list any medical conditions (asthma, diabetes, disabilities, allergies,
medications, etc) we should be aware of. Use back of page if necessary.
Physician Name:
Phone:
Health Insurance:
ID Number:
RELEASE: I HEREBY GIVE PERMISSION FOR MY CHILD TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL PSC SWIM TEAM ACTIVITIES. I
HOLD HARMLESS ALL MEMBERS OF THE COACHING STAFF AND THE PATRIOT SWIM CLUB. IN THE EVENT OF
AN EMERGENCY, I GIVE PERMISSION FOR THE COACHING STAFF TO PROVIDE AND/OR SEEK EMERGENCY
CARE.
Signature
Date
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Patriot Swim Club Photo Release
PSC would like to use photos of swim team members taken during swim practice, competitions, and social
events in team publications including but not limited to the team website, team Facebook page, and team
Twitter account. By signing your child up as a member of the Patriot Swim Club you are agreeing that photos
of your child can be used in the above publications. At any time a parent or guardian of an athlete may
request in writing that photographs of their child not be used in any publication. Unless a parent or guardian
opts out of this policy in writing, photographs of all swimmers may appear on the team website, Facebook
page, and twitter account.
Parent Signature Form
“I read, understand, and agree to abide by the policies outlined in the team handbook. This includes team
fees, member expectations, practice and meet policies, meet sign up procedures, photo permissions, the
electronic communication policy, and the anti--‐bullying policy.”
Parent Name:
_
Parent Signature:
_
Date:
Parent New Swimmer Document Checklist
 Registration Form-‐‐
 Medical Release Form -‐‐ Due April 1, 2017
 Signature Form -‐‐ Due April 1, 2017
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