Team Representatives:

The role of the Team Representatives are to ensure everything is in place for the season to run efficiently and working closely with the coaches to ensure practices/meets run smoothly. As team reps, we keep track of volunteer points, plan all social events, manage the team website, registration, spirit wear, and ensure we are following all VBSL rules. Please feel free to contact a team rep with any questions/concerns you may have. We are happy to help!

Team Rep:

Connie Mack 757-376-7571 (call/text)

Avery Edwards

Email: [email protected]

Coaches:

Head Coach

Shamus Riley [email protected]

Piranha Policies

Team Philosophy:

The swim team enables children to participate in the sport of friendly but competitive swimming. All swimmers will be given the opportunity to compete, improve their swimming skills, learn the principles of good sportsmanship, and hopefully develop a love for the sport.

Coaches are not allowed to be in the pool with swimmers during a meet. Children will only be entered in to meets if they can swim 25m across the pool without coach assistance.

Cell Phone Policy

There will be strict policy of NO CELL PHONES on the pool deck for ANY of the swimmers during practice. Swimmers need to be focused on practice during practice. Parents, please monitor as necessary during swim meets. Team reps will be keeping track and handling problems if they happen to occur during the season.

Anti-Bullying Policy

We, the GBSRC Piranhas, recognize the value swimming and team sports serve in the development of children. It can have a very positive impact on the physical, mental and emotional development of a child. As such, our program strives to create a safe environment that promotes teamwork, challenges children to set goals and meet their potential, and create an environment of inclusivity where all are welcome and can feel comfortable bringing their true self. As a member of our program, you have the opportunity to help promote and grow this atmosphere and act as ambassadors to ensure a safe environment for each and every swimmer.

The below information is provided to help ensure an understanding of our definitions of good sportsmanship and bullying as well as set expectations for our swimmers as ambassadors for the GBSRC Piranhas with regards to behavior.

Sportsmanship:

Sportsmanship is an understanding of and commitment to fair play, ethical behavior and integrity, and general goodwill toward an opponent (both external to a team as well as a fellow competitor on the same team). It is an affirmation that an athlete is disciplined enough to have perspective, maintain poise and do what is best for his or her teammates.

Some examples of good sportsmanship include:

• Encouraging/cheering your teammates on in practices and meets
• Congratulating your opponent when they win
• Using positive language when you or others are disappointed in your/their performance
• Maintaining a good attitude in wins and in losses

Bullying:

Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by others) of an imbalance of physical or social power. Bullying can take many forms (verbal, physical, direct, indirect, and cyber bullying) and be the result of one child or a group of children targeting another child or group of kids.

Some examples of bullying include:

• Name calling, joking, or making offensive unwanted remarks about a person. This can include remarks towards religion, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

• Physical acts of aggression to include but not limited to punching, slapping, tripping, pushing, kicking, or any other physical unwanted contact.
• Spreading rumors/hurtful language, posting degrading/harmful pictures, messages, and/or information using social media/internet.

We ask that each swimmer and parent/guardian pledge to be a steward of good sportsmanship and ambassadors to help stop bullying by agreeing to the following.

I agree to:

• Treat other members with kindness and respect.
• Encourage others to do and be their best.
• Be a role model for other swimmers/athletes.
• Do not engage in verbal, physical, or cyber bullying.
• Notify a parent or staff when bullying does occur.
• Speak out against bullying.
• Support the swimmers who have been victimized by bullies.

For individuals who are unable to follow the team sportsmanship and anti-bullying guidelines, the following disciplinary actions will occur (within a season):

1st offense: Individual verbal warning and conference with parent

2nd offense: Two practice suspension and withdrawal from the next swim meet

After 2nd offense: possible expulsion from the team at the discretion of the coach and/or team rep.

Depending on the severity of the situation expulsion may be immediate. (No refund will be provided.)