TROJAN SWIMMING CLUB INFORMATION / RULE BOOK
1. GENERAL 1.1. This rule book will be updated and amended from time to time by the Committee and these amendments shall be ratified at the following A.G.M. Parents / guardians have the primary responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of their children. The members shall abide by the rules and regulations of the "NGB". Prompt collection of their children by parents / guardians at the end of swimming and gym sessions is expected, (see "Member on Duty at Pool" appended). All members are governed in the first instance by the rules of the New Park pool premises (Swimplan Limited) which are prominently displayed in the foyer. Membership of Trojan is governed by the Constitution of Trojan Swimming Club, as adopted on the 16 December 1998 and as amended from time to time. Members are reminded of standards and appropriate behaviour both in the pool, at the pool side, in the dressing rooms, in the gym room and at events organised outside the club premises. Standards of behaviour are as important as standards of swimming. 'Personal bests" shall extend to personal conduct. The names of both the officers and the ordinary members of the Committee shall be displayed on the Club's notice board within 7 days of the holding of the Annual General Meeting. The Club Secretary shall keep and maintain a General Complaints Book to record both oral and written complaints.
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1.3. 1.4.
1.5.
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1.9.
1.10. The Club Safety Statement is held by the Club Secretary and is available for inspection. 1.11. The use of banned substances (per the O.C.I, directives) is prohibited. 2. MEMBERSHIP 2.1. Application for membership must be made in writing to the Club Secretary. The Applicant must also present himself / herself for swimming assessment by the coaching staff of the Club to establish the appropriate squad for the applicant (i.e. Dolphins / Development / Age Group / Elite). The completed application form will be considered by the Committee before the applicant is either provisionally accepted or rejected. If provisionally accepted and if there is room in the appropriate squad the applicant shall present for a month’s trial swimming with that squad, following which the Committee will either then formally accept or reject the applicant for membership. The applicant will be notified in writing by the Secretary and if successful will only then be deemed eligible for membership of the Club. If there is no room in the appropriate squad at that
Trojan Swimming Club • Newpark Leisure Centre • Newtownpark Avenue • Blackrock • Co Dublin info@trojanswimclub.ie
time the successful applicant will be put on a waiting list. Under no circumstances will any applicant for membership be allowed swim with the club without following the above procedures. 2.2. 2.3. The Committee may reject an application without giving any reason. All Club members shall be issued with the current version of the following: (a) (b) (c) Code of Ethics and Good Practice in Children's Sport in Ireland "NGB" Child Protection Guidelines Book Qualifications and "Responsibilities and Duties" of the Clubs' coaches & teaching staff The Club Safety Statement Club Constitution Contact details of the Clubs' Child Liaison Officers Club Information and Rule Book "NGB" Club Handbook
(d) (e) (f) (g) (h) 3.
TRAINING SESSIONS (Swimming and Gym - hereinafter referred to as "sessions) 3.1. All sessions shall be supervised by either the duty coach who should be a member of the Association of Irish Swimming Teachers and Coaches in Ireland or equivalent in the case of swimming sessions, or by the gym instructor who shall be duly qualified in the case of gym sessions. Additionally each session must have at least one other responsible adult member present as an observer (referred to as an "official" in the Club Constitution). "Member on Duty at Pool" guidelines are appended and all parents / guardians of members must make themselves available for such duties. The rota allocation for each squad in each term will be displayed on the Club notice board. The squad training time sheet and duty coach(es) for each session shall also be displayed on the Club notice board. Parents / guardians of members will be allocated to observe only at those sessions in which their child swims. Any changes to the training time sheet shall be made at the discretion of the Committee in consultation with the Head Coach and the time sheet duly amended and displayed on the Club notice board. In exceptional circumstances only, the committee may at its discretion excuse an individual parent / guardian from complying with pool side duties. Failure to participate in the pool side duties may result in non renewal of membership. Parents / guardians shall ensure that the pool is open and that the coach and duty parent / guardian have arrived before departing after dropping off their children. If the duty parent fails to turn up the following procedure is operable:(a) A parent volunteers to observe for that session; or
3.2.
3.3.
Trojan Swimming Club • Newpark Leisure Centre • Newtownpark Avenue • Blackrock • Co Dublin info@trojanswimclub.ie
(b)
In the event of no volunteer parent being forthcoming an adult swimmer (i.e. over 18 years of age) may fulfil the role of observer but must do so from the bank and must not participate in the session, otherwise the session must be cancelled.
3.4.
Parents / guardians shall refrain from unnecessarily disrupting training sessions by engaging the coaches / swimming teachers' attention.
4.
COACHES, SWIMMING TEACHERS AND GYM INSTRUCTORS 4.1. All coaches, swimming teachers and gym instructors must attend at least one Child Protection Seminar to be organised by the N.G.B. annually and as soon as practicable after their appointment. Discipline during training sessions shall be the sole responsibility of the duty coach or gym instructor. Coaches and swimming teachers shall make themselves available for consultations with parents / guardians immediately prior or immediately after training sessions where possible. The promotion of the use of performance enhancing substances by club officials, coaches, swimming teachers and gym instructors is forbidden.
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4.3.
4.4.
5.
CLUB TRIPS 5.1. All swimmers are bound by the Swimmers Code of Conduct, as set down in the current "NGB" Club handbook. Every swimming member and his / her parent / guardian shall familiarise themselves with this Code. The swimmer and (if under 18, his / her parent / guardian) must sign the Code form and return it to the appointed Team Manager(s) prior to departure. Failure to do this will result in the swimmer being ineligible to travel. The Team Manager in conjunction with the Head Coach shall compile a detailed itinerary to include points/ times of departure and return, hotel and travel arrangements and a daily schedule with curfew times. Contact phone numbers of duty coach and team managers as well as hotel phone numbers shall also be included. Parents / guardians must make themselves aware of the above mentioned itinerary. Team Managers must put in place contingency arrangements for notifying parents in the event of late return. The Team Manager(s) must complete the pro forma Club Trip Report Forms (parts 1 & 2) included in the "NGB" Club Handbook and forward same to Club Secretary for submission to the "NGB" Secretariat. If necessary the Team Managers shall submit a Team Managers (Joint) Report (including reference to any concerns) to the Club Secretary within 14 days of the trip end. Any child protection concerns should be reported to the Club Child Liaison Officers immediately upon return of the Team.
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5.3. 5.4.
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Trojan Swimming Club • Newpark Leisure Centre • Newtownpark Avenue • Blackrock • Co Dublin info@trojanswimclub.ie
5.7.
Participation by swimmers on trips shall be at the sole discretion of the Committee in consultation with the Head Coach. The disciplining of the* swimmers on Club trips shall be the responsibility of the Team Manager(s).
5.8.
6.
CHILD LIAISON OFFICER 6.1. The Club shall appoint annually two Child Liaison Officers to promote an awareness of the Code of Ethics, to influence policy and practice and to facilitate communication with the swimming members. They shall avail of training by the "NGB" Child Protection Officer when available and where appropriate. The Child Liaison Officers" contact names and address shall be notified to parents / guardians and the swimmers, and shall also be displayed on the Club notice board. The Child Liaison Officers shall meet with and introduce themselves to each squad as soon as possible after appointment. The Child Liaison Officers shall maintain a Child Protection Complaints Book in confidence to record both oral and written complaints. The Child Liaison Officer shall report periodically to the Committee and annually to the A.G.M. and
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7.
MOVING UP PROCEDURE (through the squads) 7.1. The development of all the swimmers is under constant review and is discussed regularly at coaches meetings. The criteria for moving up will include reference to the swimmers behaviour, attendance at sessions, performance times, and emotional and physical development. Moving up will be carried out in consultation with the swimmer and his / her parents / guardians.
8.
CLUB DISCIPLINE (a) 8.1. Breaches of Swim Ireland rules shall be referred to Swim Ireland.
Club discipline is as set down hereunder in accordance with clause 14.1(e) of the Club Constitution: The members shall be bound by the terms of the Constitution and Club Rule Book which shall be issued to all members. The Committee of the Club may impose, penalties by way of admonishment, loss of privileges, fine, suspension, expulsion or any lesser penalties as they may after due consideration think fit upon any member:(a) for an infringement of any of the laws, bye-laws, rules or regulations of the "NGB" or any branch thereof; for an infringement of any of the rules of the Club; for any unfair practices in the Sport; or
Trojan Swimming Club • Newpark Leisure Centre • Newtownpark Avenue • Blackrock • Co Dublin info@trojanswimclub.ie
(b) (c)
(d)
for conduct likely to bring the Sport or the Club into disrepute or which may be prejudicial to the interest of The Club.
8.2.
The complaints / disciplinary procedure shall be as follows: The matter shall be dealt with by a Complaints Committee, comprising the President, Secretary and relevant team representative. The Child Liaison Officer shall accompany the member. A member whom it is intended to discipline shall have the full complaint or case against him or her made known to such member and shall be entitled to address personally or through an adult representative the Complaints Committee before the full Committee impose any disciplinary measures arising out of the alleged complaint or otherwise. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the full Committee shall within 14 days of the date of that decision have the right to appeal against same to the "NGB" and have the matter dealt with under their complaints procedures.
9.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE (Child sexual abuse) 9.1. The Club and its members shall comply with the Child Protection Complaints Procedure of the "NGB". Any complaint of a child abuse nature (including but not limited to sexual abuse) should if possible be made in the first instance to the Club's Child Liaison Officer, but can be made to any member of the Club Committee. Where complaints are made they shall first be entered into the General Complaints Book and they shall be dealt with expeditiously. If there is in the opinion of the Child Liaison Officer no grounds for complaint (i.e. frivolous or vexatious) they should so inform the complainant in consultation with the "NGB" Child Protection Officer. When a complaint has been made in relation to any allegation of child sexual abuse by a committee member, coach,, swimming teacher, gym instructor or official, that person must stand down whilst the complaint is being examined by the Child Liaison Officers. No investigation of the complaint is to be undertaken by either the Committee or the Child Liaison Officers. If there is in the opinion of the Child Liaison Officer grounds for complaint they shall immediately inform the "NGB" Child Protection Officer, Health Board and Gardai. Where a Garda investigation is initiated the person being investigated will be suspended. Thereinafter the "NGB" Child Protection Complaints Procedure must be followed.
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9.5.
Trojan Swimming Club • Newpark Leisure Centre • Newtownpark Avenue • Blackrock • Co Dublin info@trojanswimclub.ie