Joining a new club can be very daunting with a lot of things to learn as you get to grips with competitions, rules and social activites etc. If you or your swimmer have any questions, please first refer to your Club Handbook, if you can't find what you're looking for, then there are many experienced parents happy to help and any of the committee would be able to point you in the right direction. If in doubt email the club admin@bunburyswimmingclub.com
We all want our team members to enjoy swimming and succeed. As parents, you play a special role in supporting your swimmer to be able to do their best and to make the most of the opportunities afforded your family as members of the Bunbury Swimming Club.
Our five key tips to enjoy the swimming journey:
- Make friends and join in
- Allow the coach to coach
- Reward effort rather than results
- Be encouraging
- Accept success and failure
Volunteering
Parents and volunteers are the cornerstone of the Bunbury Swimming Club. We rely heavily on our awesome ARMY of parent volunteers to assist with running swim meets, organizing social events and or sitting on our Club Committee.
Parents and volunteers play a major role in the delivery of junior sporting activities and your involvement as a parent will be greatly valued by your child and all members of the community. Your child's interest in sport will be greatly enhanced and their connection with the club community made stronger through your active engagement.
There are many ways you can volunteer. Timekeeping is one of the most common tasks you will be required to perform. Timekeeping slots are determined by your swimmer’s entries. Meet entries are only accepted on the understanding that a parent/guardian agrees to time keep, officiate or assist as requested for at least one session per day of the meet and that refusal may result in the swimmer’s withdrawal from that meet. Our volunteering rosters are designed to share the workload among everyone.
To put it simply, the club could not operate without those who put in their time and effort to help.
Swimming Terminology & Jargon
As you immerse yourself in the world of swimming you will begin to hear some specific terminology, jargon and words related to training, competition and the wider swimming community. Check out the Swimming Terminology & Jargon flyer by clicking the link below.
Parent/Spectator Behaviour Etiquette
The Bunbury Swimming Club is committed to providing an inclusive, supportive and nurturing environment for all to participate within our sport. As such the Bunbury Swimming Club supports and applies the Swimming Australia Parent/Spectator Behaviour Etiquette Guidelines:
Inappropriate Behaviours are outlined in the Swimming Australia Safe Sport Framework and can include:
- Using bad language
- Harassing or ridiculing swimmers, coaches, officials or other spectators
- Making racist, religious, sexist or other inappropriate comments to swimmers, coaches, officials or other spectators
- Any threatening behaviour or physical altercation between spectators and swimmers, coaches, officials or other spectators
- Putting undue pressure on children, berating them or putting down their performance
What we ask you to do:
- Help create a positive atmosphere for swimmers, officials and other spectators by showing respect for swimmers, officials and other spectators
- Abide by the Swimming Australia Code of Conduct and refrain from using bad language, harassing or ridiculing others or behaving in a threatening or violent manner
- If you are aware of inappropriate spectator behaviour and you feel confident to do so, speak with the person and ask them to stop. If there is a technical official or committee member present, ask for their assistance
- Report any inappropriate spectator behaviour to a club committee member or someone in a position of authority
- Call the police or someone in a position of authority if you are concerned for your safety or the safety of others
View the full Swimming WA Policies & Guidelines
Illness and Injury
Swimmers need to get enough sleep, eat well drink, plenty of water and have fun to maintain good health. If your swimmer is not well (particularly if they have a high temperature) that they see a medical professional and take time to rest, as this will give them the best chance to bounce back from the illness.
From time to time swimmers may develop an injury and if a swimmer is in pain, it is important that they seek medical attention. Effective treatment of injuries and illness requires communication between the athlete, parents and the coach. It is important that your coach is notified of any injuries or illness as soon as possible after it occurs and is kept up to date with any treatment or rehabilitation.
Hydration
Water is best. Swimmers must have a drink bottle with them at all training sessions and meets. It can be difficult to assess how much fluid a swimmer loses during their training, which means that swimmers can become dehydrated. Hence, we encourage swimmers to carry a water bottle with them throughout their day to replenish any fluid loss and ensure they are prepared to perform at a high level at the next training session or meet.
Nutrition
Swimmers can’t perform to the best of their ability in the pool or during the day without a nutritionally balanced diet. This means eating a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats.
After a morning training session, it is important that swimmers consume a healthy and filling breakfast to refuel for their day’s activities and afternoon training session. Due to training times and travel to school, eating on the run is often a necessity, preparing easy healthy options will help the swimmer recover appropriately. During meets, canteens cannot be relied on to provide healthy and appropriate food options.
We encourage parents to provide a healthy pre-meet meal and to help their swimmers pack appropriate snacks for the meet. Due to their high level of intense activity swimmers often get very hungry so be sure to pack enough food to meet the energy needs.
