The following review and acknowledgement is required in order register with the Tonawanda Titans Swim Club:

TTSC MAAPP Policy AND Code of Conduct/Bullying Policy

MAAP Policy

USA Swimming’s top priority continues to be keeping our athletes safe. No form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, has a place in our sport. As a part of our continued commitment to safeguarding our athletes, USA Swimming has enacted enhancements to our Safe Sport policy requirements.

The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) addresses one-on-one interactions, social media and electronic communications, travel: local and team, locker rooms and changing areas and massages, rubdowns and athletic training modalities. Every USA Swimming club, Zone and LSC is required to implement the MAAPP in full.       

ACTION ITEM:  Please review the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy PRIOR TO proceeding with registration. 

Additional information about the MAAP policy can be found on the USA Swimming website.

Code of Conduct/Bullying Policy

The Titans have adopted the USA SWIMMING CODE OF CONDUCT. We are extremely fortunate to have use of the Town of Tonawanda facilities. To maintain our ability to use these facilities, we must strictly enforce the USA Swimming Code of Conduct, and our own Titans Code of Conduct, below. Remember – we are guests at all facilities that we use.

All swimmers and members of the Titans shall: 

• Show respect and common courtesy for others and the property of others.
• Comply with all team rules.
• Leave all facilities in a neat and clean condition after use.
• Demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times. 
• Respect and follow directions of the coaches.
• Have Fun!

No swimmer, parent, member or guest of the Titans shall: 

• Use or possess any illegal substance.
• Exhibit destructive behavior, including stealing and vandalism.
• Behave in an unruly or inappropriate way.
• Use inappropriate language (e.g...: swearing or derogatory comments). 
• Bully or isolate any person (for more information regarding bullying please refer to the USA Swimming anti-bullying policy which has been adopted by the Titans).

Parents of Titans swimmers shall: 

• Support your swimmer by getting them to practices and meets on time.
• Respect coaches, and not interfere with coaching in any way.
• Address concerns with the appropriate coach or board member in private.
• Show respect and common courtesy for others and the property of others.

Action Plan of the Tonawanda Titans to Address Bullying

PURPOSE

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at The Tonawanda Titans Swim Club and will not be tolerated. Bullying is counterproductive to team spirit and can be devastating to a victim. The Club is committed to providing a safe, caring and friendly environment for all of our members. If bullying does occur, all athletes and parents should know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. Anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell a coach, board member or athlete/mentor.

Objectives of the Club’s Bullying Policy and Action Plan:

• To make it clear that the Club will not tolerate bullying in any form.
• To define bullying and give all board members, coaches, parents and swimmers a good understanding of what bullying is.
• To make it known to all parents, swimmers and coaching staff that there is a policy and protocol should any bullying issues arise.
• To make how to report bullying clear and understandable.
• To spread the word that (Name of Club) takes bullying seriously and that all swimmers and parents can be assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported.

WHAT IS BULLYING?

The USA Swimming Code of Conduct prohibits bullying. Generally, bullying is the use of aggression, whether intentional or not, which hurts another person. Bullying results in pain and distress.

The USA Swimming Code of Conduct defines bullying in 304.3.7. Bullying is the severe or repeated use by one or more USA Swimming members of oral, written, electronic or other technological expression, image, sound, data or intelligence of any nature (regardless of the method of transmission), or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at any other member that to a reasonably objective person has the effect of: 

• causing physical or emotional harm to the other member or damage to the other member’s property;
• placing the other member in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his/her property;
• creating a hostile environment for the other member at any USA Swimming activity;
• infringing on the rights of the other member at any USA Swimming activity; immaterially and substantially disrupting the training process or the orderly operation of any USA Swimming activity (which for the purposes of this section shall include, without limitation, practices, workouts and other events of a member club or LSC).

REPORTING PROCEDURE

An athlete who feels that he or she has been bullied is asked to do one or more of the following things:

• Talk to your parents;
• Talk to a Club Coach, Board Member, or other designated individual;
• Write a letter or email to the Club Coach, Board Member, or other designated individual;
• Make a report to the USA Swimming Safe Sport staff.

There is no express time limit for initiating a complaint under this procedure, but every effort should be made to bring the complaint to the attention of the appropriate club leadership as soon as possible to make sure that memories are fresh and behavior can be accurately recalled and the bullying behavior can be stopped as soon as possible.

I acknowledge that I have received, read and understood the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy AND the Titan Code of Conduct/Bullying Policy. I further acknowledge and understand that agreeing to comply with the contents of these Policies is a condition of my membership with the Tonawanda Titan Swim Club.