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- Information for Parents & New Members
- Club Information
- Time Trials
- Awards
- Parents Obligations at Time Trials and Swim Meets
- Swim Meet information
- Mandurah Swim Club "Code of Conduct" (For swimmers and parents)
Information For Parents & New Members
We welcome new members to the club. We attempt to cater for all swimmers, competitive and recreational, dependant on having sufficient space within the squad best suited to the swimmer in both age and skill.
At the start of each season, formal tryout sessions are run where prospective members demonstrate their abilities and our qualified coaches test them to determine the most suitable squad for them to train with. The times for tryouts will be advertised in the local paper's Public Notices section.
Swimmers wanting to join in mid-season may ask for a tryout, and a coach will oblige if possible.
Younger swimmers wishing to join the Otters Squad must have attained a certain swimming proficiency, particularly with regard to Breaststroke. We are not a swimming school. As a general rule, swimmers will have passed at least Level 6 in their swimming classes.
Before being accepted into the club, new members must agree to abide by the rules of the Mandurah Swimming Club and pay all fees due. While we accept recreational swimmers wishing to maintain fitness and develop their skills, the underlying aim of the club is to encourage athletes to attain their optimum performance at a competitive level. All swimmers are expected to make themselves available, within reason, to represent the club if they are picked in a representative team, for pennants or premiership competition. Swimmers are encouraged to enter other meets as an individual competitor, with the ultimate aim being participation at State and National level events. Swimmers representing the club at a national level receive some financial support from the club.
All swimmers should read and understand the swimmers handbook.
Parents of swimmers must also agree to abide by the rules, and in addition, must be prepared to help with the smooth running of the club. All parents are expected to contribute in ways such as:-
- timekeeping at Time Trials
- timekeeping when requested at external meets
- performing various duties for swimming meets the club runs
- where possible, accepting a role on the committee
All parents should read, understand and abide by the parent handbook
Formal Grievance Procedure information can be found on the "About our Club" page.
Formal Club Discipline Procedures/Steps can also be found on the "About our Club" page.
The swimming club has six squads starting with Otters, progressing through Seals, then onto Dolphins and Marlins. After the Seals stage, swimmers targeting high levels of performance at State or National level join either the Junior or Senior State Squad, depending on age and ability. Progress through the squads is dependent on ability and training. Refer to training squads for more details.
Club members are expected to participate in the training schedule and undertake regular time trials to enable their progress to be monitored. All times are recorded using the Team software package.
Time trials take place (approximately) on alternate Fridays at 6:00 pm, depending on external meets. On arrival, the swimmers must complete entry cards to enable the trials to be setup. Each swimmer may enter up to three events and the completed card must be handed in to the recorder with an entry fee of $1. Entry cards can be completed earlier in the week and placed in the box in the clubrooms.
Swimmers should be aware that the 3 events they enter at Time Trials must all be different strokes. i.e. They can’t do a 50 Free, 100 Free and 200 Free on the same night, or even 2 of the same stroke - it must be 3 totally different strokes, such as a freestyle event, a backstroke event and a breaststroke event - you CAN choose to swim all 50m's if that is an option in each stroke, or choose different distances - you just can't do the same stroke more than once!
At time trails we now use the One-Start rule. Parents are asked to assist with the time trial event by pool preparation, time keeping and marshalling. ALL parents are expected to contribute to the running of time trials as well as assisting at external meets with time-keeping and other duties.
Policy on Time Trials and number of events to be swum:
25m Back, Free and Breast are to be restricted to new members only.
25m Fly for Seals and below who have not mastered the 50m yet or wish to practice a particular aspect of the stroke, eg: double breathing.
All swimmers shall swim 3 events unless they have discussed this with their Coach prior.
Coaches may request that the whole squad do a particular event, with remaining 2 events being the swimmers choice.
If a swimmer wishes to swim an event that they would not normally compete in, they should discuss it with their Coach as to the value of the swim.
The committee requests that swimmers wear a club shirt over their bathers for all medal presentations at swimming meets. Please do not go for medal presentations wearing bathers only.
Mandurah City Council Awards
The Mandurah City Council Award is a prize given to two swimmers for outstanding efforts in any area. The Committee decides who the two swimmers are each month. The prize is a month's free entry to the Mandurah Aquatic Centre.
Coaches Awards
The coach of each squad will select a member of their squad who has trained the most regularly, efficiently and diligently. That swimmer will receive a special coaches award at the end of year wind-up.
PARENTS...OUR OBLIGATIONS AT SWIM MEETS AND TIME TRIALS
Swimming is a very labour intensive sporting activity. The minimum requirement to successfully operate our own time trials is as follows.
- 24 timekeekers
- 1 starter
- 1 marshall
- 1 chief timekeeper
- 2 recorders/computer operators
- 2 referees
With the cooperation of most people at the pool we are usually able to achieve this. There are times when we do not have the required numbers on pool deck, yet there are still people available in the stand and around the pool who refuse to lend their assistance. Often some mums and dads have obligations with other young siblings as well as swimmers and the club acknowledges this may be a problem. As a general rule parents are obliged to give assistance at time trials. This is part of the requirements of joining the club and you know the old saying about many hands. If asked by a club official to assist please respond in a positive manner if at all possible. Better still don't wait to be asked.
Many of the clubs swimmers travel all over the state to attend swim meets. If Meet is a 'Target Meet' the Coaching Timetable will be revised. Qualifying Swimmers are expected to attend 'Targeted Meets'.
If the club sends a larger number of swimmers we will be expected to supply a set number of timekeepers (and often other officials). Generally one person will take on the role of organising the timekeeping roster. The more parents who agree to the sharing of this role, the lighter the load for all concerned. Please do not refuse to do your share of the timekeeping!! This is part of the obligation you accept when you join the club. Others who are happy to share this load become very unhappy when they must fill in for those who refuse to assist. I think it is fair to state that if people are not prepared to help with these tasks they should not enter their children into swim meets.
Parents are also asked to be careful not to walk alongside the pool calling out to their swimmer. This interferes with the role of the referees and is also considered "coaching". Another problem occurs in the marshalling area at times when keen mums and dads enter this area to encourage/kiss/put on caps/adjust goggles/collect clothing etc. Please remember this is out of bounds once the children have been marshalled.
Photo Shoots after Target Meets:
Please be aware that after all Target Meets a group photo of all participants, Medal Winner or not, will be taken at the Club on the Wednesday following the Meet at 6pm. Swimmers must wear their club shirt for photographs and feel free to bring and wear their medals, naturally! Please keep in mind that with the numbers of swimmers involved in the various squads who train at different times, it is not always going to be possible to get everybody in a photo unless you are there on time. Permission will be granted for swimmers to quickly escape training for a few minutes for the photo, and then they can return. Again, this 'disruption' will only occur for special Target Meets in order to take large group photos - and this will only occur a few times each year.
We request all new members read and understand the Parent Handbook as well as read, accept and sign the following Code of Conduct:
Mandurah Swimming Club
Athlete Code of Behaviour:
- Play by the rules
- Never argue with an official, always use the appropriate rules and guidelines to resolve a dispute
- Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials and sledging other athletes, deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent are not acceptable or permitted behaviours in any sport
- Work equally hard for yourself and/or your team
- Be a good sport. Applaud all good performances whether they are made by your team or the opposition
- Treat all participants in your sport as you like to be treated. Do not bully or take unfair advantage of another competitor
- Cooperate with your coach, team mates and opponents
- Participate for your own enjoyment and benefit, not just to please parents and coaches
- Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
Parent/Guardian Code of Behaviour
- Remember that children participate in sport for their enjoyment not yours
- Encourage children to participate, do not force them
- Focus on the child's efforts and performance rather than winning or losing
- Encourage children always to play according to the rules and to settle disagreement without resorting to hostility or violence
- Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a competition
- Remember that children learn best by example. Appreciate good performances and skillful plays by all participants
- Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from sporting activities
- Respect official's decisions and teach children to do likewise
- Show appreciation for coaches, officials and administrators, without them your child could not participate
- Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion
Swimming Australia Ltd endorses the following code of conduct for members, service providers and employees, particularly those responsible for activities involving members under the age of 18.
As a Swimming Australia Ltd member, service provider or employee you should meet the following standard of conduct:
- Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others
- Be fair, considerate and honest in all dealings
- Be professional in, and accept responsibility for , your actions
- Make a commitment to providing quality service
- Understand the possible consequences of breaching Swimming Australia Ltd's member protection policy
- Refrain from any form of abuse and harassment towards others
- Be aware of, and maintain an uncompromising adherence to Swimming Australia Ltd standards, rules and policies
- Operate within the rules of swimming including national and international guidelines that govern Swimming Australia Ltd
- Immediately report any breaches of the Australian Swimming Australia Ltd member protection policy to the appropriate authority
- Refrain from any form of discrimination and victimisation towards others
- Refrain from intimate relations with members with whom they have a supervisory role or power over
- Provide a safe environment for the conduct of activities in accordance with any relevant Swimming Australia Ltd policy
- Show concern and caution towards others that may be sick or injured
- Be a positive role model
Swimming Australia Ltd expects all members, service providers and employees to abide by this code of conduct which upholds the principles and values of the organization. They should recognize that at all times they have a responsibility, and duty of care to other members, service providers and Swimming Australia Ltd employees.
