USA Swimming strives to continually improve the programs and services it offers to its members and among these some of the most important relate to the safeguards for protecting young athletes. In an effort to continue to foster safe and positive environments within all member clubs, USA Swimming has provided TIDE with best practice guidelines that help define elements of appropriate behavior and conduct.
TIDE's top priority continues to be keeping its athletes safe. No form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, has a place in our sport.
Tide Swimming adheres to USA Swimming's Code of Conduct, which is included in the annual USA Swimming Rulebook.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport (“the Center”), the separate, independent, organization that oversees all sexual misconduct reports in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement created the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies to set a baseline for acceptable safety standards that limit one-on-one interactions between adults and minor athletes.
TIDE is committed to providing a safe environment for all of its athletes. To that end, TIDE has appointed a Safe Sport Coordinator, Sara Beth Roberts, and two Athlete Welfare Advocates, Kristin Lineberry and Andy Van Slyke to assist athletes in voicing their concerns. Our Athlete Welfare Advocates are adults who have volunteered to be available to any athlete who is concerned about the conduct of coaches, staff, volunteers, or other athletes and wants to talk about it. TIDE has also put in place numerous policies and procedures that are meant to foster an environment that is safe for all athletes.
USA Swimming and the U.S. Center for Safe Sport have reporting systems to deal with Safe Sport concerns. Comprehensive information is available HERE.
To deal with a Safe Sport concern, contact USA Swimming at (719) 866-4578
Contact the U.S. Center for Safe Sport to make a report. Call 833-5US-SAFE (587-7233) or use the online reporting form.
On April 29, 2019, USA Swimming released its Minor Athlete Abuse Protection Policy (MAAPP) addressing 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. All USA Swimming member clubs were required to implement MAAPP in full by June 23, 2019. TIDE implemented this policy. On September 1, 2021, USA Swimming implemented MAAPP 2.0 and TIDE also implemented the updated guidelines in this new policy.
USA Swimming has outlined all policies and guidelines on its MAAPP webpage.
Please read the policy below along with the educational resources and videos, to assist you in understanding our MAAPP.
TIDE Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy
Applicable Adults/Adult Participants: Definition/FAQ and Description
Social Media and Electronic Communications
Locker Rooms and Changing Areas
Massages, Rubdowns, and Athletic Training Modalities
APT Requirements for Adult Participants
USA Swimming offers free online Athlete Protection Training for coaches, officials, board members, chaperones, volunteers, and parents. All coaches, officials chaperones and board members must take the course to be certified as a non-athlete member of USA Swimming.
Training our members in abuse prevention and mandatory reporting is just as important as creating policies. USA Swimming is required to provide regular and consistent training for all adults who interact with and have direct contact with minor athletes, including adult athletes. As a condition of membership, all athlete members ages 18 and over must complete Athlete Protection Training.
Safe Sport Courses for Parents and Athletes
USA Swimming offers Safe Sport courses for 12&older athletes and all parents. To access the courses, follow the instructions linked below.
Safe Sport for Athletes Course
Parents Guide to Misconduct in Sport Course
1-855-SAFE4AA (1-855-723-3422) info@safe4athletes.org
Every athlete deserves a safe and positive sports environment. SPEAK UP if the way you are being treated feels wrong.
At TIDE, all coaches are required to sign a Code of Conduct Agreement acknowledging receipt and understanding of the Club Philosophy and Policies Governing Professional Coaching Conduct and the Conduct of all Athletes, Employees, and Volunteers and the USOC and NGB’s Coaching Ethics Code and their obligation to comply with such codes.
TIDE's 12 and older swimmers and their parents are required to sign and abide by the policies and rules set forth in the TIDE Swimming Athlete Code of Conduct.
TIDE has two Athlete Welfare Advocates, Kristin Lineberry and Andy Van Slyke, to assist athletes in voicing their concerns. Our Athlete Welfare Advocates are adults who have volunteered to be available to any athlete who is concerned about the conduct of coaches, staff, volunteers, or other athletes and wants to talk about it.
TIDE SWIMMING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
USA Swimming's Safe Sport Best Practice Guidelines
Tide Swimming Athlete Code of Conduct
Tide Swimming Coach Code of Conduct
Tide Swimming Parent Code of Conduct
TIDE Swimming Action Plan to Address Bullying
Locker Room Monitoring Procedures and Policies
Tide Swimming Grievance Procedure
SAFE SPORT COURSES
Instructions are provided below that describe how to access each course
USA Swimming Safe Sport for Athletes (12&older)
US Center for Safe Sport course for Parents (Parent's Guide to Misconduct in Sport)
PERMISSION FORMS
Permission for Minor Athlete to Travel to Competition with Unrelated Applicable Adult
Permission for Applicable Adult to Provide Local Transportation to Unrelated Minor Athlete
TEAM TRAVEL
TIDE Swimming Team Travel Policy
Team Travel: Guidelines for Chaperones
TEAM TRAVEL REQUIRED FORMS
Consent for Minor Athlete to Travel with Tide Swimming
Medical Consent and Code of Conduct for Team Travel
Liability Release and Indemnification for Minor Travel
Permission for Minor Swimmer to Share Lodging with 18 or older Swimmer
PDF Files - Accessibility for Americans with Disabilities Instructions: In order to have the above PDF files accessible and read out loud, you will need to download the PDF file. Open the PDF file in Adobe Acrobat. Go to View and scroll down to “Read Out Loud” and activate. Then, hover your cursor over the text.