Question 1

Uniform

Accepted Answer

Reviewed July 2024
 
Purpose:
To ensure that members of our club are wearing the required uniform when they are attending swimming meets representing SwimZone Racing. It is important that our club is presented in a consistent manner and that we get the maximum exposure for the club through the correct use of the uniform.
 
Scope:
This policy applies to all swim meets when our members are representing our club. Where our club members are selected for representative teams, it is expected that they wear the uniform supplied by the organisation they are representing in such circumstances, should one be supplied – if not our official uniform is to be worn.
 
Policy:
It is the club's policy that once your swimmer reaches regional or national level competition (e.g. Junior Festival or Wellington Short Course Champs), that a SZR t-shirt and shorts are worn at all times while attending meets and club away trips. The SZR hoodie is also a required uniform item for senior swimmers (13 yrs and over) and optional for juniors. To align the club policy with Swimming New Zealand and Swimming Wellington's policies, only the club uniform can be worn on the podium (i.e. no togs, towels or other branded clothing). Swimmers that have not reached this level of competition are only required to have a club t-shirt when attending race meets.

A SZR racing cap (and a spare SZR racing cap) are also needed for all race meets.

We have three required uniform items that come named:
1. T-Shirt
2. Pullover Hoodie
3. Shorts

We have two optional uniform items:
4. Deck Coat
5. Tracksuit Pants

We have one restricted uniform item that is named:
6. T-Shirt - International
This t-shirt can only be ordered by Senior swimmers who have qualified and are attending an International meet approved by SwimZone Racing. Orders must be placed through the Uniform Coordinator uniform@szr.co.nz.(uniform@szr.co.nz)

Please go to our ‘Members - Uniform’(https://www.swimzoneracing.org.nz/uniform) page for more information.

Question 2

Registration Fees

Accepted Answer

Reviewed June 2016
 
Purpose:
To ensure that fees are set at appropriate levels, balancing the interests of the club and its members
 
Scope:
This policy applies to the annual registration fees of SwimZone Racing
 
Policy:
 • The Board shall approve and publish a registration fee schedule as early as practicable in advance of the Registration Period
 • The Registration Period shall be a period of one year (except for a period of transition should the Registration Period be changed), and shall align with that set by Swimming Wellington wherever practical
 • Registration fees shall be set for categories of swimmers that align with those set by Swimming Wellington wherever practical
 • Registration fees must fully recover any fees charged by Swimming Wellington or Swimming New Zealand. Such fees shall be displayed separately on the annual fees schedule
 • The fees schedule shall be consistently applied to all swimmers
 • In approving the registration fee schedule, the Board shall take into consideration, as appropriate, the following factors (not necessarily in this order):
    • The overall costs of running the club and the level of cash reserves of the club 
    • Affordability for swimmers
    • Fees charged by other Wellington Clubs
    • The timing of the swimmer joining the club
    • The potential for family or other discounts
    • The potential for different fees for different age groups
    • The fees schedule shall be clear and transparent to all swimmers

Question 3

Officials

Accepted Answer

SwimZone Racing is a non-profit competitive swimming club with over 250 members. Our vision is that SwimZone Racing will be the Number 1 club in the Wellington region and a top 5 competitive club in New Zealand, with national representative swimmers, administrators, officials and quality coaches.
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The Club relies upon parent volunteers to prepare and run a successful meet. The demands on the time and effort of the Officials Coordinator to fill roles for each meet has led to the implementation of this policy. This policy adopts an ‘allocation of duties’ approach. It is based on the expectation that if your child is entered in a meet, you are available to help. The Officials Coordinator will allocate families roles.
 
Purpose:
The purpose of this policy is to:
1. Enable a fairer allocation of volunteering within our parents; and
2. Decrease the amount of time required to sort out volunteers by the Officials Coordinator.
 
Policy:
 • Every family who enters their child into a swim meet will be expected to be available to contribute their time at that meet. They will not be required at each meet but must be available should the need arise. If there is no parent available to help at a swim meet a swimmer should not be entered.
 • If there are extenuating circumstances so that an individual is not available, then they need to email the Officials Coordinator (admin@szr.co.nz) when they enter their child online with the reason they are not available.
 • The Officials Coordinator (admin@szr.co.nz) will fairly allocate roles to ensure that all families do their share over the year. A family’s share will relate to the number of swim meets entered and the number of children in the family competing at swimming meets.
 • The Officials roster will be emailed to all families with a swimmer entered in an event. It is the responsibility of the parent of a swimmer to review the roster upon receipt from the Officials Coordinator. Confirmation of attendance by the person doing a specific role is not required.
 • Failure to perform the role impacts the success of a meet and reflects poorly on the club. The nominated family member is expected to perform their allocated role unless there are exceptional circumstances as to why they cannot.
 • In addition to swim meets that a family has a child swimming in, it is a club expectation that all families with swimmers in the Barracuda, Mako and Marlin squads will help out in at least one Need4Speed each year.
When National swim meets are held in Wellington, and even if a family does not have a swimmer entered into that specific national meet, it is a club expectation that families with swimmers who are national qualifiers in that year will be available to help with the officials requirements at the event hosted in Wellington.
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For example - if National Age Groups (NAGS) are in Wellington and you have a swimmer who has qualified to swim at any National Meet that year, you are expected to be available to help at NAGS that year. It is also expected that swimmers in the Mako and Marlin squads, as an opportunity to “give back” to the club, will make themselves available to help for the Need4Speed at least once a year. The Officials Coordinator will manage this so as to ensure a fair allocation of roles to our senior swimmers.

Question 4

Photography

Accepted Answer

There has been much talk about whether it is safe to have images taken of children participating in sport. Whilst the great majority of images are appropriate and are taken in good faith, it is a fact that images can be misused and children can be put at risk if common-sense procedures are not observed. To set out such procedures, Swimming Wellington has established a Photography Policy. A copy of the policy can be found on the Swimming Wellington website (https://swimming.org.nz/visageimages/clubs/szr//SwimZone/Policies/SW%20Policy%20-%20Photography%20and%20Photographing%20Swimmers%20Policy.pdf)under the heading, constitution and policies.

Question 5

Local Meets

Accepted Answer

Purpose:
To ensure that club members have clarity of which meets are supported by the Club and Coaches, and the criteria for team selection where appropriate
 
Scope:
This policy applies to all meets run by clubs affiliated with Swimming Wellington
 
Policy:
 • The Development Sub-Committee (DSC) and Head Coach shall prepare an annual plan. This plan shall stipulate which local meets will be supported by the club and coaches. The plan shall be ratified by the Board, and published on the web site
 • Where a local meet involves teams or relays, the criteria for selection shall be set by the DSC and Head Coach and shall be published as soon as practicable after such information becomes available.
 • Where meets are not actively supported by the club and coaches, individual swimmers may still attend as individuals. In such instances, the swimmers must meet the administrative timeframes set by the Race Secretary. Swimmers shall be encouraged to discuss attendance of these meets with their coaches prior to registration
 • Team managers shall be appointed for all meets by the Officials Coordinator

Question 6

National Meets

Accepted Answer

Scope:
This policy applies to all out of town meets endorsed for support by the Board in an annual plan, but excludes camps and overseas meets. A team constitutes a minimum of 3 swimmers.
 
Policy:
 • The Development Sub-Committee (DSC) and Head Coach shall prepare an annual plan, specifying meets which will be actively supported by coaches and team managers. This plan shall be reviewed and ratified by the Board.
 • The Board shall set a budget for each of the meets as part of its annual plan. The Board may also seek additional external funding (such as grants). The budget may be reduced by the amount of external funding applied for and received.
 • The DSC and Head Coach shall develop the criteria for team funding for each event. These criteria shall be ratified by the Board and published at least 4 months prior to the event.
 • Team managers shall be selected by the DSC and Head Coach in accordance with policy, and the selections shall be ratified by the Board at least 4 months prior to the meet.
 • The cost of travel and accommodation of the Coach and Manager(s) shall be paid for by the club, swimmers and grants. Grants shall be applied to coach and manager expenses in the first instance.
 • The budget for each out of town meet shall be set so as to allocate club funds amongst the various age groups and levels of swimmers, in accordance with the following priorities, if out of town: 
Priority One
 • National Age Groups (SC and LC)
 • New Zealand Juniors
 • Div II
 • New Zealand Opens (SC and LC)
 • Other significant meets as approved in the annual plan 2.
Priority Two
 • Other significant meets, as approved in the annual plan, maybe partially funded for costs such as land transport.

Question 7

Individual Swimmer Funding

Accepted Answer

Purpose:
To ensure that swimmers selected or qualified for major events are adequately recognised and supported by the club. Scope: This policy applies to all swimmers selected for, or qualifying for, major events, but excludes events where the club is supporting a team to attend. Major events include New Zealand Opens and (SC and LC), Australian Age Groups, National and Regional Camps, and others that the Board shall approve as part of the annual development plan.
 
Policy:
 • If any swimmer qualifies and intends to attend an event covered under this policy, the swimmer shall be required to apply for regional or national teams, if applicable, to ensure recognition and to maximise alternative funding. If the swimmer does not choose to apply for any relevant team, then no club funding shall be provided 
 • The Board shall set aside a fixed amount in its annual budget for support of events covered under this policy, and such funds shall be applied equally to each qualifying swimmer, up to a maximum amount per swimmer 
 • The Board may provide funding for a coach to attend such an event, where the club is supporting a swimmer. Such funding shall be provided towards the cost of travel and accommodation 
 • For both coach and swimmer, the club may seek funding towards the cost of attending such events. Such funding may be in the form of grants or sponsorship. Where such funding is received in relation to costs which would otherwise be subsidised by the club, the club funding shall be reduced by the lesser of the funding or subsidy amounts.

Question 8

Coaches on Away Meets

Accepted Answer

Purpose:
To ensure the expected and appropriate number of coaches attend away meets, and associated costs are covered by the relevant parties i.e. the club and/or the coaching business.
 
Scope:
This policy applies to all away meets and specifically the expectations with regards to coaches attending such meets.
 
Policy:
The number of coaches expected to attend will be based upon the number of swimmers at the event each day (the expected number of coaches).
 
For every 10 swimmers, or part thereof, one coach is expected to be in attendance.
 • If the club is not able to meet the expected number of coaches, this matter would be addressed/resolved with the Development Coordinator and Board of SwimZone racing.
 • The club, through clubs funds/swimmer contribution/grants would cover the accommodation and travel costs for the expected number of coaches
 • If the coaching business decided to send additional coaches i.e. more than the stated 1:10 ratio, it would be at the Business's cost although the club would be open to discussing contributing to the costs should discretionary funding allow it at the time.

Question 9

Merchandise

Accepted Answer

Purpose:
To ensure that teams attending national events receive consistent treatment in respect of merchandise provided by the club.
 
Scope:
This policy applies to all swim teams and individuals attending Priority One national meets (as defined in the “National and Out of Town Meets Policy”), whether the meet is in Wellington or out of Town. It applies to the provision of merchandise including, but not limited to, bags, shirts, caps, towels etc.
 
Policy: 
 • The Board shall set aside an amount in its annual budget to provide merchandise to an individual or swim team members attending Priority One national meets as approved in the annual plan. Such budgeted amount shall be based on a maximum amount per swimmer per meet
 • The amount set aside in the budget shall be utilised to acquire merchandise such as bags, shirts, towels, caps, goggles for swim team members
 • The budget shall stipulate the type of merchandise able to be acquired within the stipulated budget
 • Each team shall receive consistent merchandise in terms of value per swimmer, but not necessarily the same merchandise
 • The team manager shall make the final decision on exact merchandise acquired, but must remain within the guidelines specified by the Board
 • When selecting and pricing merchandise, consideration should be given to the use of SwimZone Racing logos wherever practical
 • Team managers may seek and obtain sponsorship for additional merchandise. Shirts and caps bearing sponsor logos must not be worn during competition times unless also prominently bearing the SwimZone Racing logo and complying with race rules. Sponsored merchandise shall be considered additional to club funded merchandise
 • Commemorative merchandise (e.g. Named cap) shall be provided to swimmers attending Priority One meets

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