Davis AquaStarz

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS

Davis AquaStarz is a volunteer-run organization. It takes an amazing amount of effort to keep the team running smoothly and our swimmers having fun in the water. Every family needs to sign up for a team job - there are opportunities for one-time events, helping with a large committee, and doing projects from home. In addition to the team job, all families will need to sign up for a Show job and work one night of the annual water show. If your swimmer participates in a meet, you will also be expected to volunteer for a meet job. The team cannot run without the help of all families, and we appreciate your time and enthusiasm to make this a great season for our swimmers!

COMPETITION EXPECTATIONS FOR CONDUCT

Swimmers, coaches, officials, parents, and spectators are to conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates respect for other swimmers, coaches, officials, parents, spectators, and fans. In becoming a member of this organization, an individual assumes certain obligations and responsibilities to the organization and its participants. The essential elements in this Code of Conduct are HONESTY and INTEGRITY. Those who conduct themselves in a manner that reflects these elements will bring credit to themselves, their team, and their organization. It is only through such conduct that our organization can continue to earn and maintain a positive image and make its full contribution to our sport and community. 

The following essential elements of the Code of Conduct must be followed:

1. Sportsmanship and teaching the concepts of fair play are essential to competition and must be taught at all levels and developed both at home and in the pool during practices and meets.
2. The value of good sportsmanship, the concepts of fair play, and the skills of the competition should always be placed above winning.
3. The safety and welfare of the swimmers are of primary importance.
4. Swimmers should always demonstrate positive behavior and respect toward teammates, opponents, coaches, officials, parents, and spectators.
5. Coaches, players, parents, and spectators are expected to demonstrate the utmost respect for officials and reinforce that respect to players/teammates. 
6. Grievances or misunderstandings between coaches, officials or any other parties involved with the organization should be communicated through the proper channels and procedures, never on or about the pool in view of swimmers, spectators, or participants. 
7. Spectators involved with a meet must never permit anyone to openly or maliciously criticize, badger, harass or threaten an official, coach, swimmer, or opponent.
8. Eligibility requirements, at all levels of competition, must be followed.

PARENT/GUARDIAN CODE OF CONDUCT & RESPONSIBILITIES

Once registered, you will be asked to initial and sign a physical copy of the code of conduct and return it at the first practice.

1. Read and initial the Swimmer Code of Conduct and Responsibilities (the text can be found below and a link to this will be included in your registration confirmation email) with your swimmer and do your best to help your swimmer follow those guidelines. 
2. Make sure your swimmer brings towel, yoga mat, goggles, a swim cap, nose plug, and WARM CLOTHES to all practices – sometimes the swimmers need to get out of the water during practices (dry land practice) and when wet, it can be chilly, especially in the evening.  
3. Swimmers are expected to arrive at all practices 15 min before the practice begins. Swimmers should be changed into swimwear, have sunscreen applied, be finished with any snacks/drinks, and have their towel/mat out and ready to begin by the time practice starts.
4. Please be on time when picking up and dropping off your children from practice. Coaches sometimes need to leave the pool directly after one practice to get to the next practice at another pool on time.
5. Be a positive role model for your child and encourage sportsmanship by showing respect and courtesy, and by demonstrating positive support for all swimmers, coaches and officials at every practice and meet. 
6. Parents' access to the pool may be restricted or limited at times due to health or City rules. In the event that parents are allowed on the pool deck, parents must wait at the picnic benches at Arroyo pool and remain in the viewing stands at Community pool. Parents should not approach the pool, land practice area, or coaches while practice is in session.
7. On deck photography and videotaping is allowed only with the coach’s permission. 
8. Please refrain from talking to children or coaches during practices unless the coach approaches you first. 
9. Decisions regarding who will participate in routines at both the competitions and in the annual show are at the sole discretion of the coaching staff and will be determined by ability and attendance. Swimmers advance at different rates and enter the program with different abilities and at different times. This may necessitate changes in who is asked to be in particular routines. 
10. Please address any questions or concerns to the coach only after practice has finished and the swimmers have left the area. Many simple questions can be answered via the representative for your swimmer. Issues should never be discussed while the swimmers are present. Grievances or disagreements should be addressed after a 24 hour “cool down period,” an email should be sent requesting a formal meeting with the coach (head coach or assistant coach) to arrange a time to discuss said issue. If a satisfactory solution is unable to be agreed upon with the coach, a board representative will then be brought into the discussion to help facilitate an agreeable resolution. Any concerns regarding Junior coaches should be brought to the head coach or assistant coach. If you need to talk at length to the coach, please make an appointment with her. Any unresolved issues should be directed to the AquaStarz Board.
11. Swimmers may not leave practice early without parent/guardian approval. If your swimmer needs to leave practice early for any reason, a coach must be informed by that swimmer's parent or guardian for liability reasons (even if it's a last minute or sudden departure from practice).
12. Please read and respond to e-mailed and printed information promptly. 
13. Any person at an AquaStarz practice or competition under the influence of drugs or alcohol will not be allowed in the pool facility.

SWIMMER CODE OF CONDUCT & RESPONSIBILITIES

Parents: Please read this list of swimmer responsibilities and conduct expectations with your swimmer. Once registered, you and your swimmer will be asked to initial and sign a physical copy of the code of conduct and return it at the first practice.

1. Show up at practice on time and with a positive attitude. Swimmers are expected to arrive at all practices 15 min before the practice begins. Swimmers should be changed into swimwear, have sunscreen applied, be finished with any snacks/drinks, and have their towel/mat out and ready to begin by the time practice starts.
2. Swimmers must sign in at the start of practice in order to ensure that we have an accurate head count in case of emergency.
3. Swimmers may not leave practice early without parent/guardian approval. If a swimmer needs to leave practice early for any reason, a coach must be informed by that swimmer's parent or guardian for liability reasons (even if it's a last minute or sudden departure from practice).
4. Any absences from a mandatory practice must be reported to the team as soon as the swimmer learns about the absence. (Contacts for reporting absences will be provided to all members.) 
5. ALL ROUTINE PRACTICES ARE MANDATORY. Successful routine practices rely on the presence of all routine participants, therefore, any swimmer with 2 unexcused absences will be removed from the routine. An unexcused absence is any absence not reported as soon as it is known, or an absence for any reason other than illness, school conflict, or family emergency. Vacations, parties, or other conflicts are not excused absences. Leaving practice early, without prior approval, is also considered an unexcused absence. The earlier the team is told about an anticipated absence, the lesser chance your child will be scheduled with a conflicting mandatory practice.
6. Swimmers will have a limited amount of time in which to learn their routines and demonstrate a complete knowledge of the choreography based on the difficulty of the choreography. A swimmer who is unable to learn the choreography in a reasonable amount of time may be removed from the routine at the discretion of the coaches.
7. Swimmers must comply with all COVID protocols required by the AquaStarz or the City of Davis in order to participate. Like all DJUSD athletes, swimmers are encouraged to get tested at Health Davis Together once a week to ensure the health and safety of all team members, coaches, and lifeguards. Any positive COVID tests by any swimmer must be reported to the team immediately upon receiving results. (Contacts for reporting results will be provided to all members.)
8. Follow the 'Rules of the Pool' at our pools and at the pools we visit for meets:
   • Walk on deck - no running.
   • No rough play or profanity allowed.
   • Physical contact with fellow swimmers should be of an appropriate nature.
   • Language and conversation topics at practice should remain appropriate for all age levels.
   • Do not enter the pool without a coach or lifeguard at the side of the pool.
   • No swimmers are permitted on the diving boards without coaches’ express approval.
   • No glass, ceramic, or otherwise breakable bottles, jars, mugs, etc. on the pool deck.
   • No cell phones, cameras, or video recording devices allowed in the locker room or restrooms.
   • No swimmer may participate if under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They will be sent home, and a parent will be contacted.
9. Establish goals, and actively train to achieve them.
10. Work together with your teammates.
11. Show respect for all coaches and lifeguards.
12. Keep your ears above water when coaches are giving directions. Coaching many swimmers in the water is challenging due to the noise level of splashing water and all swimmers need to be extra good listeners.
13. The consequences for talking back to coaches or lifeguards or not following directions will be as follows:
    • A verbal reminder will be given.
    • If needed, the swimmer will be asked to get out of the water for a short period of time to regain a positive attitude.
    • The swimmer will be asked to get out of the water for the remainder of the practice and parents will be contacted.
14. If a swimmer is having any issues, including but not limited to their routines, teammates, practices, or competitions, please bring this to the attention of the head coach, assistant coach, or a board member. A meeting can be arranged away from practice to discuss the issue and come up with a solution. 

The AquaStarz has a no refund policy and cannot issue a refund once you have registered.

Please reach out to davisaquastarztreasurer@gmail.com with any questions on this matter.

By registering with TeamLinkt, you commit to adhere to the refund policies, fees, and timelines set by your chosen organization or program. You commit not to initiate any chargebacks.  Deviations from this policy may result in the forfeiture of any refund.