Expectations and Conduct

(updated: 1 September 2021) 

 All members of PWAS in any class identified in our Bylaws are members of BC Artistic Swimming (BCAS)  and are expected to review and adhere to BCAS Conduct Policy Suite (approved September 26, 2021): 

https://www.bcartisticswimming.ca/docs/conduct_policy.pdf 

Athletes are also expected to: 

• commit to practice consistently throughout the entire season.
• arrive on time for all practices and events with a positive spirit. 
• recognize the importance of all training events, not only competitions and performances, but also team bonding activities, mental training sessions, recap sessions, land drill sessions, and other types of training unless health or unforeseen circumstances prevent participation. 
• To respect the understanding of girls’ menstruation from different cultures; PWAS understands that an athlete during menstruation may take the first two days off from water training, however by the 3rd day it is expected that the athlete be on deck for the training session. Please communicate your needs to your coach. Should this occur during a competition, everyone is expected to attend the training with full attendance. 
• notify the team coach and Technical Director 24 hours in advance if the athlete has a health concern, or one week in advance if a school event (major exams) conflicts with a practice or an event must be missed. 
• Cheer, support and encourage all other athletes, with courteous and sportsmanlike behavior. 
• Listen and communicate respectfully with officials, coaches, other teams, and club members regionally, provincially, nationally, and internationally. 
• wear uniform as determined by the coaches when practicing, competing, or otherwise representing PWAS. 
• support all other members of their team during competitions by being present when team members compete in individual or group routines, unless prior arrangements have been made with the team coach. 
• be present for the award ceremonies held at swim meets unless prior arrangements have been made with the team coach. 
• comply with PWAS Constitution, Bylaws and policies, and policies of BC Artistic Swimming and Canada Artistic Swimming. 
• review and adhere to the BC Artistic Swimming Members’ Code of Conduct: Conduct Policy (December 2019) 
• observe the anti-doping policy of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES www.cces.ca). 
• attend the PWS orientation meeting in the fall, coach-parent-athlete meeting during the season, as well as end of season. 

Parents are expected to: 

• Share positive energy, encourage, and support your athlete(s) and respect all club athletes. 
• promote and foster team unity by assisting coaches with team events, team outings and team endeavors as needed. 
• have your athlete at practice on time and picked up promptly after practices. 
• pay program fees fully as per arranged with finance (for example one sum, two sums, or monthly post-dated cheques). 
• ensure your athlete has all required equipment at each practice and clothing as described in the Uniform and equipment guide provide by coaches (and on lesson plans).  
• respect and support the authority of coaches. 
• communicate and listen respectfully, with all coaches, other parents, PWAS Board and Administration. 
• stay off the pool deck during practices and leave a team area if asked by a coach. 
• Review the volunteer roles and Family Commitment Plan guide so that you can make a meaningful contribution to PWAS’s operation (see also Volunteer Policy and Fundraising Policy). 
• exhibit and encourage courteous, sportsmanlike behavior at all Club-related activities.  
• comply with PWS Constitution, Bylaws and policies, and policies of BC Artistic Swimming and Canada Artistic Swimming. 
• attend the team orientation meeting in the Fall and the PWAS Club Annual General Meeting. 
• attend educational sessions with coaches and sport experts during the season, either by PWS or BCAS. 

Coaches are expected to: 

• Adhere to responsibilities outlined in their contract. 
• Ensure that they have reviewed and adhere to BCAS Coach Certification Policy: https://www.bcartisticswimming.ca/docs/coaching_certification_policy.pdf. 
• Commit to coaching consistently throughout the entire season. 
• arrive on time for all practices and events with positive spirit. 
• To create, and provide a safe and healthy training environment on a daily basis.  
• To create, provide and develop the mentality of sportsmanship in all levels of programming offered. 
• To understand, support and excel the needs of athletes mentally, physically, technically, artistically, and tactically as an individual, and as part of a team. 
• To manage with care and due diligence should an athlete become injured, an accident or incident happen while coaching; to be familiar the BCAS accident and injury policy with  https://www.bcartisticswimming.ca/docs/accidentandinjurypolicy(september262021.pdf. 
• To be responsible for preparing and facilitating training plans for organized practices, workouts, training events (according to the PWAS pool and or/virtual training schedule) and communicate with athletes and the Technical Director or Head Coach, consistently and punctually.  
• To communicate with parents and athletes and report to Technical Director weekly. 
• To follow, support, excel and respect the Technical Director’s vision and yearly goals provided at the beginning of the season, throughout the season. 
• To prepare, execute and submit the report card of athletes to Technical Director punctually.   
• To attend and participate in all meetings requested by Technical Director, PWAS Board, or an Executive, or Club Administrator. 
• attend and recognize the importance of all PWS events, not only about the competitions and performances, but also team bonding activities sessions, mental training session, recap session, land drills sessions, and other types of training events unless health or unforeseen circumstances prevent participation. 
• To fully respect the understanding of girls’ menstruation from the different cultures. PWS allows athlete who is having menstrual cycle to have first two days off from water training and 3rd day athlete need to be on deck for the training session. Except during competition that everyone is expected to attend the training with full attendance. 
• Cheer, support and encourage all PWAS athletes.  
• Respect officials, coaches, other teams, and club members regionally, provincially, nationally, and internationally. 
• Approach, communicate, listen, and follow the direction of Technical Director and Coach Liaison and always show respect for all coaches at PWAS. 
• exhibit courteous, sportsmanlike behavior always. 
• wear uniform as determined by the Technical Director when practicing, competing, or otherwise representing PWS. 
• support all other events of all PWAS athletes during competitions by being present when they compete in individual or group routines, unless prior arrangements have been made with the Technical Director. 
• Be the coach of PWAS at any events, clinics, workshops, submissions, and competition. 
• To be capable to make proposals to Technical Director, making decisions together relating to routines (e.g., costumes, music, choreography, each athlete’s role in the routine). 
• To have the leadership to ask an individual to leave the area if a participant or spectator creates a disturbance during any meet, land drill, practice, or performance. 
• To discuss and communicate with Technical Director on how to cooperate with chaperones to develop their team’s activity schedule and determine travel and sleeping arrangements with the team during away competitions. 
• To keep Technical Director and Coach Liaison (or Administrator) involved in any communication with BCAS, CAS and parents. 
• Prepare routines (including land drills when appropriate), select costumes, select and coordinate music with direction from music expert and TD, and prepare choreography. 
• If applicable, determine which athletes will represent PWS at competitions with approval of Technical Director. 
• Prepare for and attend competitions with approval from Technical Director and or/Lead Coach. 
• With approval of the Technical Director, the Lead Coach can assign responsibilities to Assistant Coaches. 
• It is the coach’s responsibility to always know who is in attendance at each training event, and to update the PWAS attendance record after each training.