Any and all members of the COBRA SWIM CLUB have, as a condition of membership and / or employment, a duty to uphold the good name of the Club, at all times, and particularly when on Club – related travel. This extends to Swimmers, Coaches, Parents, Chaperons, and Associate Members. In support of this goal, the following Travel Meets – Rules and Etiquette are in full force and effect. Swimmers Members and Parents are requested to sign this document as evidence that they have jointly read and reviewed both the Swimmer’s Code of Conduct and the Travel Meets – Rules and Etiquette, agree to abide by the conditions, and understand the possible ramifications of breaching one or more of the conditions. It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure that all swimmers have a good understanding of this ‘behaviour contract’.

The Travel Meets – Rules and Etiquette are in effect from the point of departure until return home.

• Swimmers traveling by bus are responsible for keeping their immediate area of seating clean. Every time a swimmer departs the bus he / she must check his / her area and leave it as clean as it was at the beginning of their trip. (Removal of all garbage, wrappers, bottles etc.)
• On arrival at the hotel and during their stay, swimmers are to obey the hotel rules as well as the authority of their chaperone(s) / coach(s):
  1. Any type of horseplay in the hallways, staircase, lobby, rooms or other public area of the hotel at any time is prohibited;
  2. Quiet time / Lights out for all swimmers will be established by the chaperones or coaches;
  3. Swimmers 12 years of age and under require adult supervision in all public areas (lobby, staircase, etc.), therefore, they must ask chaperone for assistance or accompaniment;
  4. Volume of in-room television, music and computers must be kept low;
  5. In-room telephone is to be used only for emergency to contact the chaperone or coach. There is to be no room to room phone calls between swimmers;
  6. Doors are to be kept closed but unlocked with the door latch left open, until curfew time;
  7. Request chaperone’s permission whenever a member of the opposite gender is in the room. Visitation with opposite gender should be limited to a short visit and are not allowed at any time to visit the opposite gender when one on one;
  8. Visitors from outside the team should never be in your room, unless special circumstance and permission has been granted by the chaperone for each visit. Similarly, COBRA swimmers are not allowed in the hotel rooms of athletes from other clubs without express permission from the chaperone.
  9. Doors are to be closed quietly, as careless door closing disturbs other guests. Respect others’ needs for sleep, quiet and safety.
  10. Swimmers must always show respect: this includes respecting other swimmers, parents, coaches and officials of the sport. At all times be polite to other guests, the hotel and restaurant staff and the hotel’s property;
  11. You and the Club are fully liable for all damages that occur; missing towels, breaking or damaging furniture, including any damages suffered by the hotel as a result of noise or disturbance to other guests;
  12. It is the swimmers’ responsibility on departure from the pool to clean their immediate area (removal of all garbage, wrappers, bottles, etc.)
  13. Wear team apparel, when requested;
  14. It is recommended to leave your valuables at home;
  15. Computers are not permitted on team travel;
  16. Cell phones have become a necessary evil for team travel – there is to be no texting or phone calls after lights out or during quiet times. Any swimmer found abusing this rule will have their cell phone confiscated and their parents will be advised that they can contact their swimmer via the chaperone’s cell phone.
• Swimmers, Staff and Chaperones are not permitted to drink or carry alcoholic beverages, nor use drugs other than those prescribed by a physician. Such drugs must be reported to the chaperones. However, proper administration of same will be the responsibility of each individual concerned.
• Athletes are not permitted to go to a coach’s room, nor a coach to an athlete’s room.
• No athlete will be left unchaperoned in the hotel.
• Where the safety of others is at risk, swimmers should consider that it is their responsibility to report behaviour that does not adhere to the Code of Conduct to the coaches or chaperons.

Swimmers who are found to have violated any of the above may face any or all of the following consequences:

1. They may be scratched from competition;
2. They may be scratched from competition and sent home at parents’ expense;
3. They shall be required to submit a written apology to the party involved with a copy to the Club;
4. Swimmers in question may face possible suspension from team activities for a period of time to be determined by the Executive, Head Coach or Head Chaperone.

Parents have the prime responsibility for communicating these rules to their swimmer(s).

Signing the Travel Meets – Rules and Etiquette
Any swimmer / chaperone / attending staff member who does not agree with any of the above conditions is not compelled to sign this document, however this will result in that person relinquishing their privilege to attend the meet / participate in the travel. A simple refusal to turn in the signed agreement, attached, will be sufficient indication to trip organizers to exclude you from the trip.