San Gabriel Sea Gulls

USA Swimming Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy
 
San Gabriel Sea Gulls
>>BEST PRACTICES<<
 
 
San Gabriel Sea Gulls Safe Sport Coordinator:
Susan Lai
[email protected] | 626-818-9611

 

The following San Gabriel Sea Gulls Best Practice Guidelines are strongly recommended for all USA Swimming members:
 
1. Parents should be encouraged to appropriately support their children’s swimming experience.
 
2. All swimming practices should be open to observation by parents.
 
3. Coaches should not initiate contact with or accept supervisory responsibility for athletes outside club programs and activities.
 
4. When only one athlete and one coach travel to a competition, at the competition the coach and athlete should attempt to establish a “buddy” club to associate with during the competition and when away from the venue.
 
5. Relationships of a peer-to-peer nature with any athletes should be avoided. For example, coaches should avoid sharing their own personal problems with athletes.
 
6. Coaches and other non-athlete adult members should avoid horseplay and roughhousing with athletes.
 
7. When a coach touches an athlete as part of instruction, the coach should do so in direct view of others and inform the athlete of what he/she is doing prior to the initial contact. Touching athletes should be minimized outside the boundaries of what is considered normal instruction. Appropriate interaction would include high fives, fist bumps, side-to-side hugs and handshakes.
 
8. Coaches should avoid having athletes as their favorites. They should also avoid creating a situation that could be perceived as them having favorites.
 
9. Gift-giving, providing special favors or showing favoritism to individual athletes is strongly discouraged.

 

Updated: Jan. 5, 2022
 
 
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SAN GABRIEL SEA GULLS GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
 
The San Gabriel Sea Gulls Grievance Procedure provides swimmers, parents, coaches, club leaders and employees a system to address and report grievances in a productive, systematic way. Following these Procedures provides the appropriate parties a means to properly investigate, intervene, and take disciplinary action when needed.  
 
 
WHERE TO REPORT:
 
For issues dealing with sexual misconduct, sexual harassment and/or sexually explicit or
inappropriate communication through social media:
 
For issues dealing with physical abuse, emotional abuse, criminal charges and the use, sale or distribution of illegal drugs:
 
For issues dealing with known or suspected child abuse:
  •  [ Provide contact for local law enforcement and/or other state required agency.]
 
For issues dealing with peer-to-peer bullying, coach-athlete bullying, parent issues, violations of
the San Gabriel Sea Gulls Code of Conduct and violations of the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy.
  • These issues are handled at the club level following the procedures outlined below.
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WHOM TO NOTIFY OF A GRIEVANCE (Chain of Command)
 
Regarding the Conduct of a Swimmer - Contact the swimmer’s coach.
  • Should a parent or swimmer feel another swimmer’s conduct is inappropriate or violates the San Gabriel Sea Gulls Code of Conduct, the parent/swimmer should discuss these concerns with the coach of the swimmer responsible for the violation (Responsible Coach). This complaint should be made in person or in writing. Coaches will ensure the San Gabriel Sea Gulls head coach is notified of the complaint and will participate in assessing behavior.
 
Regarding the Conduct of an Assistant or Age Group Coach - Contact the Head Coach
  • Should a parent or swimmer feel an Assistant or Age Group Coach’s conduct is inappropriate or in violation of any Club policies or procedures, the parent/swimmer should notify the Head Coach of this violation.  This complaint should be made in person or in writing. The Head Coach will ensure that the San Gabriel Sea Gulls club owner is notified of the complaint and will participate in assessing behavior.
 
Regarding Conduct of Head Coach – Notify the San Gabriel Sea Gulls Safe Sport Coordinator
  • Should a parent or swimmer feel the Head Coach’s conduct is inappropriate or violates any Club policies or procedures, the parent/swimmer should notify the San Gabriel Sea Gulls Safe Sport Coordinator of this violation.  This complaint should be made in person or in writing.
 
Regarding Parent or Official Conduct - Notify the Head Coach
  • Should a parent or swimmer feel another San Gabriel Sea Gulls parent’s or an official’s conduct is inappropriate or violates any Club policies or procedures, the parent/swimmer should notify the Head Coach of this violation in person or in writing.
Note: With the exception of issues, which immediately affect the health and safety of swimmers, all matters should be discussed before or after a coaching session, as coaches should not be expected to deal with issues during water time.

 


HOW GRIEVANCES WILL BE HANDLED
The Head Coach has the authority to impose penalties for infractions of the San Gabriel Sea Gulls Athlete, Parent and Coach Codes of Conduct or any behavior(s) they deem not conducive to the best interests of the Club or other swimmers. Consequences are at the sole discretion of the coaches and may include, but aren’t limited to, verbal warnings, dismissal from practice, contacting parents, temporary suspension from club activities and expulsion. Involved parties will be informed of the processes and range of potential consequences. The U.S. Center for SafeSport, USA Swimming and local law enforcement (if applicable) will be contacted within 24 hours if a coach, parent, or swimmer violates the SafeSport Code for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements, the USA Swimming Code of Conduct, Athlete Protection Policy, or local laws.
  1. Gathering Information: The appropriate individuals will contact the person who filed the grievance, and the person against whom the grievance is being filed, to ask questions about what happened. In addition, other witnesses may be contacted for more information. All information will be recorded on the San Gabriel Sea Gulls grievance procedure form.
  2. Assessing Behavior: The behavior of the person(s) against which the grievance was brought, will be assessed using club policies and facility rules, USA Swimming Code of Conduct, USA Swimming Safe Sport policies, as well as applicable local and state laws.
  3. Consequences will be given and disciplinary action will be taken, if appropriate. These consequences and disciplinary actions will be decided using the following general guidelines: 
a. Nature of the misconduct
b. Severity of the misconduct
c. Prior disciplinary actions
d. Adverse effect of the misconduct
e. Application of the Code of Conduct
 
 
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MANDATORY REPORTING RULE

Pursuant to federal law, all adults authorized to interact with minor or amateur athletes who learn of facts that give reason to suspect that a child has suffered an incident of child abuse, including sexual abuse, shall make a report of the suspected abuse to law enforcement and/or your state’s designated agency within 24 hours.

ARTICLE 306

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

1. It is every member’s responsibility to promptly report any incident regarding sexual misconduct by a member as described in Article 304.3.8  to USA Swimming’s Director of Safe Sport.  Reporting must occur when an individual has firsthand knowledge of misconduct or where specific and credible information has been received from a victim or knowledgeable third party.  Various state laws may also require reporting to law enforcement or to a designated child protection agency.

2. No member shall retaliate against any individual who has made a good faith report under 306.1.

3. False reporting of sexual misconduct made in bad faith is prohibited.

4. Neither civil nor criminal statutes of limitation apply to reports of cases of sexual abuse.