Niagara Swimming

Mission Statement: To empower young people to become champions for a lifetime, in and out of the water, through dedication to competitive swimming

Club Vision:  River Rats Swim Club provides a healthy approach to competitive swimming by providing a safe and supportive environment for all our swimmers, regardless of their abilities, as they strive to reach their potential. Team members have the opportunity to learn valuable and transferable life lessons while developing proper swim techniques and challenging themselves to attain a higher level of fitness and performance goals. Our vision is to work hard together to provide every swimmer the best possible opportunity to achieve their full potential by creating a culture of excellence.

River Rats Swim Club is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all our athletes. USA Swimming's Safe Sport program is a comprehensive abuse prevention program consisting of a multi-layered approach to keep kids and athletes safe. River Rats Swim Club is dedicated to providing a healthy environment free of abuse for all members. River Rats Swim Club Safe Sport Coordinator Mike Burgess can assist you, if you have any concerns regarding the conduct of parents, coaches, staff, volunteers, or athletes. If you have any concerns regarding the safety of an athlete please do not delay, take action. Below are helpful contacts and links. 

River Rats Safe Sport Club Coordinator:

Niagra Safe Sport Chair:

To address a safe sport concern - USA Swimming Safe Sport:

 

Safe Sport Best Practice Guideline

The following 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. 

River Rats Swim Club Policies and Procedures:

Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP)

Applicable Adults/Adult Participants

Action Plan to Address Bullying

USA Swimming Code of Conduct (Article 304)

Social Media and Electronic Communications

Locker Rooms and Changing Areas

Locker Room Monitoring Procedure

Grievance Procedure

MAAPP and Non-USA Swimming Activities

 

Safe Sport Training Opportunities

 

Additional resources and policies: 

Safe Sport for Parents

2020 Safe Sport Activity Book Ages 5-11

2020 Safe Sport Activity Book Ages 12-18

USA swimming Rulebooks, Code of Conduct, and additional policies 

 

Club Photography Policy 

 

Athlete Protection Training for Adult Participants

 

River Rats Pre-Employment Screening

USA Swimming/Safe Sport Preemployment Screening Program FAQs

USA Swimming/Safe Sport Preemployment Screening Program Summary

 

Club Officials

BOARD OF DIRECTORS