TIDE SWIMMING

IS COMMITTED TO FOSTERING A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS ATHLETES

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 a Safe Sport Coordinator, Kelly Swartz, and three Athlete Welfare Advocates to assist athletes in voicing their concerns:  Andy Van Slyke, Jen Lyashenko, Ashley Casey, and  Betsy Dixon. 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.

To report anonymously, text anonymous tips to 888-270-SWIM (7946)

ATHLETE PROTECTION TRAINING

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. The courses can be accessed through a member's USA Swimming dashboard, under "Education / Course Catalog".