Swimmers Behaviour Policy
1. Club Commitment
The Marion Swimming Club is committed to providing a safe and positive environment for all of its athletes to pursue and achieve swimming success.
One of the key factors that enables our success as a club and for individual athletes are the behaviours we adopt and demonstrate towards one another.
Good behaviour is a shared responsibility and commitment of all members, including all of our athletes.
2. Personal Commitment
Upon joining the Marion Swimming Club, each athlete commits to the Marion Swimming Club Athlete Code of Conduct. It is an expectation that athletes uphold the Code of Conduct at all times, and that the behaviours they demonstrate are acceptable as set out under this Policy.
You have made this commitment of yourself to your club.
3. Purpose of the Policy
The Swimmers Behaviour Policy complements and expands on the Code of Conduct by clearly setting out the behaviours that are expected and acceptable for athletes, behaviours that are not acceptable, and the consequences for breaches of the Swimmer Code of Conduct and this Policy. Information is provided on how athletes may raise issues, concerns or complaints about breaches of the Code or Policy.
4. Policy Endorsement
The Swimmer Behaviour Policy has been endorsed by the Marion Swimming Club Committee on [insert date] for implementation and application to swimmer behaviour in relation to the Code of Conduct and expectations set out in this Policy.
5. Scope
The Code of Conduct and Swimmers Behaviour Policy applies to all Marion Swimming Club athletes during all Club activities including training (in the pool, gym and changerooms), at competitions, during Club trips/camps, and at social activities organised by the Club. This includes in‑person activities, and online groups and platforms.
6. Behaviour Expectations
6.1 Positive and respectful behaviours
As set out in the Marion Swimming Club Athlete Code of Conduct, athletes are required to demonstrate positive and respectful behaviours at all times during all club activities.
Examples of acceptable behaviours include:
· Being on time for training and other club activities.
· Speaking in a polite, positive and respectful tone towards others.
· Encouraging others.
· Actively listening to coaches and support staff and following instructions.
· Avoiding unnecessary touching of other athletes at all times.
· Leaving space between athletes in the pool when ‘at the wall’, behind the blocks, and in gym sessions.
· Allowing faster swimmers to lead off in lanes during training, leaving an appropriate gap before starting a lap, and taking care when overtaking.
· Apologising for inadvertent touching or bumping of other athletes during training.
· Sitting quietly in marshalling preparing for your race without disturbing others.
· Respecting others privacy when changing.
· Be responsible for your belongings.
6.2 Unacceptable behaviours
Examples of behaviours that are unacceptable include:
· Intentional touching of any kind.
· Not respecting personal space (standing too close to others behind the blocks, in the gym, not giving adequate space at the wall).
· Insulting others or calling them names.
· Intentionally embarrassing others.
· Filming others without consent.
· Making comments about a person’s race, culture, disability, or gender – this is discrimination and is against the law.
· Swearing or using offensive language.
· Not listening to or following instructions from coaches and support staff.
· Interfering with the belongings of others.
· Disrupting other athletes from their preparations in marshalling, or any other time at competitions.
· Sexual harassment including staring, leering or unnecessary familiarity.
· Bullying behaviours, which means repeatedly engaging in unacceptable behaviours toward another athlete/s.
· Negative or inappropriate comments or posts about other athletes on social media or electronic platforms that are made during club activities (training, competition or other events), or made at other times that relate to their swimming, club activities and/or competitions.
Violence
The Marion Swimming Club has zero tolerance to violence and physical assault. If an athlete is observed undertaking violent behaviour they will immediately be removed from the Club activity by a coach and the behaviour will be recorded and reported to the Head Coach and Club President. If a criminal offence is suspected, the Police will be contacted. If you are at training in the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre, policies of the Centre also apply and Centre staff will act in accordance with their responsibilities for any behaviours witnessed.
Filming
Athletes are not allowed to undertake filming during Club training sessions including pool and gym training sessions and are not permitted to film in the change rooms.
If an athlete requires filming during a pool session so that they can view their technique, this filming is to be undertaken by a coach on a club device. If an athlete requires filming during a gym session to view technique, they must ask the gym coach to film the exercise and the gym coach will ensure that other athletes are not filmed.
7. Prohibited conduct under the National Integrity Framework
Athletes should understand that as members of the Marion Swimming Club, they are also required to act in line with the National Sports Integrity Framework and its policies including the Member Protection Policy and Child Safeguarding Policy.
This Framework and its associated policies have been adopted by Swimming Australia, Swimming South Australia and the Marion Swimming Club as a member organisation.
The National policies deals with serious ‘prohibited conduct’ including abuse, bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, unlawful discrimination, victimisation, vilification and child abuse. Prohibited behaviours that may reach the threshold to be considered as ‘prohibited conduct’ under these policies are reportable to Sports Integrity Australia for management under its Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy.
If suspected prohibited conduct by an athlete is witnessed or reported to any coach or official within the Club, action will be taken in line with the National Policies.
8. Consequences for a breach of the Code of Conduct or Behaviour Policy
Breaches of the Swimmers Code of Conduct and Behaviour Policy are taken seriously and as a Club we will aim to address behaviours as they occur. We believe that by reminding our athletes of their commitments, we can support them in many cases to redirect their behaviours and address any issues or concerns while they are minor to avoid escalation to bigger issues.
If you undertake behaviour that breaches the Code of Conduct or this Policy, and your behaviour has impacted another athlete, the impacted athlete may choose to raise this with your directly and ask you to stop, or they might choose to raise it with a coach, report it to a Member Protection Officer, or make a complaint to the Club or Swimming SA.
8.1 Behaviour management during training
If an initial breach of the Code or Policy is witnessed by a Squad Coach, or reported to a Squad Coach by another athlete:
1. The squad coach will raise the matter with the athlete concerned in a respectful manner as soon as is practicable to when the behaviour occurs, outlining the specific behaviour and that it does not align with the Code/Policy. The athlete will be requested to not repeat that behaviour and supported to redirect their behaviour.
2. If the behaviour continues or escalates, the Squad Coach may choose to remove the athlete from the session or activity and if this occurs, the Head Coach and the athlete’s parents (if the athlete is a minor) will be informed. The Head Coach will speak with the athlete and reinforce that the behaviour is not acceptable under the Code/Policy.
3. If, following referral to the Head Coach and discussion with the athlete (and where relevant parents) the behaviour continues, the Head Coach may choose to raise the matter with the Club President to discuss additional actions (for example a formal meeting with the Head Coach to develop a Behaviour Plan, or suspension for a period of time).
Squad Coaches are entrusted with the primary responsibility for the training and care of their squad athletes. They are committed to ensuring a safe and positive training
environment for their athletes, and actively manage behaviours on an ongoing basis including in line with this Policy as well as YMCA Our Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy.
Squad Coaches have a high level of discretion in managing athlete behaviour and may choose to raise a behaviour issue with an athlete more than one time to support the athlete to redirect their behaviour, where it is safe to do, before escalating to further actions. However, if a Squad Coach witnesses a behaviour that puts an athlete or others at risk of immediate harm, they will act immediately to remove the athlete demonstrating that behaviour from the activity.
8.2 Behaviour management at competitions
The Marion Swimming Club expects all athletes to demonstrate positive and respectful behaviours at all times when representing the Club at competitions, without exception. This includes when in marshalling, on pool deck and at all other times when in a competition venue.
If unacceptable behaviours are reported to Club officials and representatives, a Coach, Committee Member or Team Manager will raise the matter with the athlete and their parent. If unacceptable behaviour occurs again, the athlete may be asked to leave the competition venue and removed from further participation by the Club or by the competition referee.
8.3 Concerns raised by an athlete
Any athlete member who experiences a behaviour towards them or another athlete that is a breach of the Code or Behaviour Policy which makes them concerned or distressed, may choose to raise their concerns directly with the person who has undertaken the behaviour.
If you feel comfortable to do this and choose to do so, you should act in a respectful manner and explain to the person who has undertaken this behaviour towards you (or another athlete) what the specific behaviour was, that it does not align with the Code/Policy, and that you want it to stop.
If you attempt to resolve an issue or matter directly in an informal way but it does not work, you might choose to raise it with your squad coach, or if you prefer, a Club Member Protection Officer.
9. Raising an issue or concern with behaviour towards you
The Marion Swimming Club has appointed Member Protection Officers and a Child Safe Officer who are available to athletes to discuss any concerns or issues they have with behaviours demonstrated towards them by other club members, including other athletes. Their role is to provide advice about your options in dealing with this and support you through the process.
Specifically, the Child Safe Officer has responsibilities to support the Club to develop and maintain a Child Safe Environment which mitigates the risk of child abuse.
9.1 Options for addressing an issue or concerning behaviour
There are informal and formal options available to you. These include:
· Self-management (addressing the issue directly with the person who has undertaken the behaviour).
· Obtaining information and support from the Member Protection Officer, if you haven’t been able to resolve the issue directly or are not sure how to handle it.
· Informal internal processes (low-level resolutions including support of a third party to resolve this issue).
· A formal internal process (written complaint and internal investigation).
· An appeals process, if you are not satisfied with the outcome of a formal complaint.
· External options.
You can read more about these options on the Play by the Rules website or by speaking with a Member Protection Officer.
10. Responsibilities of Parents
For all athletes aged under 18 years, a condition of membership requires a parent to also join the Marion Swimming Club as a member. In line with that membership, parents are required to commit to the Marion Swimming Club Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct and to support their athletes to act in accordance with the Athlete Code of Conduct and this Policy through the display of positive behaviours.
Where an issue occurs related to unacceptable behaviour, parents are required to engage positively with the coach and club officials to discuss and address any concerns, and to support their athlete to redirect their behaviours.
11. Club Contacts
Member Protection Officers:
Kelly Barns
Chris Powell
