Centennial Swimming & Diving Rules and Expectations

1. Academics: All team members are expected to maintain a 2.0 GPA or better. If lower, athletes will be placed on academic probation, may have to attend study hall or may become ineligible. Ineligible athletes are not allowed to practice or compete.

2. Responsibility: All team members will conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner.

• All Athletes will treat their coaches, teammates, opponents, and officials with respect at all times

• All athletes will be positive participants in class as well as in practice.

• All school rules and athletic code of ethics will be observed and obeyed while at school and in the community. Be especially careful to observe the expectations concerning alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. Students who break code of ethics will be subject to code of ethics hearing and resulting consequences (which may include suspension from athletics or removal from team). Think before you act in all circumstances. Use your best judgment. When in doubt do the right thing 24/7/365.

• Athletes will be missing class for out of town meets. It is their responsibility to make sure they have talked to their teachers in advance, turned in work early or have a plan on how to make up work and/or tests.

• Athletes are not to leave class for practice or competitions before the time stated by Coaches/school.

• Social Media: Athletes need to understand that social media is a part of Code of Conduct.

3. Practice: In order to be a part of the team and compete, you must attend all practice requirements. We practice in two groups, group one practices are from 3:00PM to 5:15PM Monday through Wednesday and Friday, Thursday from 2:00 PM until 4:15PM. Group two is from 4:00PM until 6:00PM.  We will have practice regardless of the weather. Even in the event of a possible lightning storm, the weather usually clears quickly and practice can resume. Starting times for practice indicate the time that we are diving into the water. Athletes should come 10-15 minutes early to get changed, pull covers, and be ready. Club swimmers will be required to attend the Centennial practices the day before the swim meets. All club practice attendance will be communicated with the Centennial coaches. If there is no club practice for some reason, athletes are expected to attend the high school practice, unless discussed by the athlete, club coach, and Centennial coaches.  During the High School season, High school meets will have priority over club meets. Club swimmers must compete unattached during the high school season. Club swimmers with an important competition may remain attached to the club team as long as they have not competed officially for their high school. During the Peak Preparation Period (the last 3 weeks), the athletes are expected at high school practice.  

Academic interventions should be taken care of in the morning or lunch when possible. If intervention is offered only after school by a teacher, the student will be required to make up missed workouts by staying for the later practice. Athletes coming from intervention must have a teacher signed note with the time they left the intervention. Athletes should be proactive in working around practice times when organizing study group times. Look for the alternative. AP and SAT review sessions are optional. Practice takes priority over study sessions. Athletes wanting to attend study sessions need to work out practice arrangements prior to study session. Students struggling with academics should communicate that with the coaches and utilize them for extra help.

Athletes that are being disruptive or disrespectful will be dismissed from practice. If an athlete is dismissed from 3 practices over the course of the season, they will be removed from the team.

4. Absences: We understand that school, family and church obligations sometimes cut into workouts or meets. The athlete/parent must communicate with the coaches via email prior to the absence. Email communication is the requested form of communication. If you miss more than one workout a week or if you miss the workout directly prior to a meet you will not be competing in that meet. If an athlete misses a workout, they must make up the practice on one of the mornings.

• Examples of an excused absence: illness, injuries, special circumstance i.e. funeral, family

• Examples of unexcused absences: jobs, studying, and other activities.

• Doctor, Dentist, and Orthodontist visits should try to be scheduled around practice if possible as

Three unexcused absences will result in removal from the team. Club swimmers have the same requirements and consequences for their club practices. Unexcused absences for club will result in missing the next HS meet. Athletes not participating in an away meet will remain in class and not travel emergency, etc.

If an athlete is absent from school they will not be able to practice or compete in a meet. On the day of the meet, athletes must attend school for at least half of the day (3 full periods) or they will not be able to compete. The Athletic Director or Principal may override this rule special circumstances.

5. Injuries: Report and notify the coach of any injuries or physical problems that occur throughout the season. The coach will refer the athlete to the Centennial Trainer for evaluation. Athletes must check in with the coaches before seeing the trainer. Swimmers with limitations due to an injury/illness will be asked to still attend practice and work out to the best of their abilities. The coaches will work with the athlete on making the best of the situation so they can be ready when it is time to compete. For example a swimmer with shoulder injuries will kick sets with fins and/or swim with one arm.  If a swimmer has a doctor’s note for not participating, the athlete may not get back into the pool until the time on the note expires or there is another note with a new start date. Swimmers are recommended to ice shoulders after every practice for 15-20 minutes as a preventative measure. Preventative ear drops to remove water after practice helps with ear infections. If an ear infection starts, go to the doctor immediately to get prescription drops. Most of the time, with prescription drops, the Athlete’s ears will heal in a couple days. Athletes with ear infections are still required to be at practice for dryland.

6. Swim Meets:  Athletes are expected to compete in every meet that they qualify for. The events that people swim are chosen by the coaches. We always do our best to place people in the best place for the team and for them. Not everyone will get to swim at every meet, if an athlete is not swimming at a home meet they are expected to be there in support of their teammates and to help with the meet any way that they can.

• Athletes will be provided with team shirts that should be worn on meet days (to school and to the meet).

• Athletes are expected to know their heat and lane assignments by checking the posted meet sheet.

• Meet lineups will be posted at the pool deck the day before the meet. Swimmers will swim the events listed. Complaining to the coaches about the events will result in being pulled out of the next meet.

• Athletes must pay attention to the meet and cheer for their teammates. There is no excuse for missing an event.

• Athletes should stay hydrated throughout the day.

• Athletes are expected to stay for the whole meet. We are a team and will support the athletes in the last event.

• At away meets, parents cannot sign out athletes (swimmers or divers) to ride with parents until the meet is over. At the end of the meet, only legal guardians may sign out the athlete in order to drive them home.

• There is a mandatory team meeting at the block end of the pool after each home meet to celebrate great swims and give announcements. Parents are welcome to be at the meeting after the meet.

7. Suits and Apparel: Team suits are highly recommended for meets. Not having a team suit could prevent an athlete from participating in meets (it is to the discretion of the official). Suits and Caps with any other affiliation logo are not permitted in high school meets. Swimmers could be called off the blocks and not be allowed to swim or they could be disqualified after the fact. For girls, water polo suits with zippers are illegal for high school swimming. A team cap is the only cap allowed in a high school meet. Any swimmers or divers with financial concerns should see the coaches about scholarships for suits. Each athlete will receive one team cap at the first meet. Athletes will also receive a free team shirt for participating on the team. There will be an optional spirit items available for purchase.

8. Transportation: All team members will travel to the meets by the transportation provided by the school district. Special requests will be granted in some circumstances, but a note must accompany those requests prior to the bus leaving. Athletes not participating in an away meet for any reason due to will not travel on the team bus and should remain in class.

9. Travel: Our team has some travel trips planned. It is a privilege to be able to go on trips. In order to go on these trips a swimmers must have at least two travel time standards

All school rules as well as travel rules apply. Some of the rules include:

• Appropriate behavior on the bus.

• Respect for visiting facilities, teammates, others teams, coaches, and bus driver.

• Support teammates during competition.

• No Boys in girls’ rooms and vice versa (hotel trips)

• Respect for the rooms, clean up, etc. (hotel trips)

Athletes not attending the travel meets are required to attend any practices or other competitions that are scheduled for the same day.

10. Fundraising: Any donations to help the program are appreciated. Checks should be made out to “Centennial Swimming” and delivered to the coaches or directly to the finance office at the school. We also have sponsorships available and will have fundraising opportunities available during the season.

11. Volunteering:  Parents are encouraged to sign up for volunteer positions. We cannot run our home meets without help from the parents. At meets we need volunteers for the concession stand, head timer, timers, scorekeeping, head time etc.  At away meets we help out as well because we are Centennial and we are awesome. We also will need volunteers for the pre meet pot luck dinners. Parents new to the program will be matched up with experienced parents for volunteer positions. Over the past several years the program has been able to upgrade and purchase items for the team. Some recent purchases were pre meet meals, team shirts, team caps, training equipment, new record board. We also have scholarship athletes team equipment for families that cannot afford it.

12. Lettering: All athletes who compete in swimming & diving all year will be awarded a certificate at the awards banquet if they meet the following criteria:

• Finish the season in good standing.

• Compete in all meets on the schedule (that they qualify for) unless excused. All excused athletes will be dealt with on an individual basis.

• Attend practice every day, unless excused.

• Maintain academic eligibility.

• Adhere to the rules and expectations of the Swimming & Diving program.

13. Communication: Please contact the coaching staff with any absences or issues by using the team email. 

Email address • centennialswimming@gmail.com

Website•centennialswimanddive.squarespace.com

Emergency scheduling and reminders will be issued via text on the remind app. To sign up for the remind app notifications text @4c3a98 to 81010 from a your cell phone.