Parents and Guardians

The Club is fully committed to promoting good sportsmanship and providing a safe and child friendly environment for the advancement of the sport. As a parent or guardian of a gymnast member of the Club, you are expected to respect the following club guidance:

• Fees for training and events must be paid promptly in advance. The current appropriate British Gymnastics Association membership and insurance fee must be paid as soon as a gymnast joins the Club to ensure that the gymnast is insured.
• Always check there is a coach present who is responsible for your child’s session before leaving them at the gym.
• Children must never be left on the premises without adult supervision.
• Always collect your child promptly from the gym at the end of a session.
• Encourage your child to learn the rules and participate within them.
• Discourage challenging and arguing with Coaches and Officials.
• Publicly accept Coaches and Officials’ judgements.
• Help your child to recognise good performance, not just results.
• Set a good example by recognising good sportsmanship and applauding the good performance of all.
• Never force your child to take part in sport.
• Always ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the activity and has plenty to drink.
• Keep the Club informed if your child is ill or unable to attend sessions.
• Endeavour to establish good communications with the Club, Coaches and Officials for the benefit of all.
• Share any concerns about any aspect of the Club through the approved channels.
• Use correct and proper language at all times.
• Never punish or belittle a child for poor performance or making mistakes.
• Support your child’s involvement and help them to enjoy their sport.

Coaches

The Coaches and Officials Code of Conduct is designed to support the Club’s policies and procedures together with British Gymnastics coaching guidelines and policies. It represents the essence of good conduct and practice and exists to promote a safe and enjoyable gymnastics experience for Club members.

Protecting the Rights of the Gymnast

Coaches will:

• Provide an environment in which children are free from fear or harassment.
• Recognise the rights of performers to be treated as individuals.

The Relationship with the Gymnast

Coaches will:

• Always be publicly open when working with gymnasts.
• Take care when providing manual support.
• Never take a gymnast to their home or other scheduled place, and when transporting gymnasts, explicit permission will be sought from the parent/guardian.
• Never do things of a personal nature that a child can do for themselves.
• At all times, be concerned for the safety, well-being, protection and future of the gymnast.

Responsibilities

Coaches will:

• Wear the T-shirts and other clothing provided by the Club.
• Display consistently high standards of behaviour and appearance and not use inappropriate language.
• Communicate politely, showing respect and courtesy at all times with all members of the club.
• Provide adequate notice if unable to attend a session, meeting or other scheduled event.
• Have appropriate valid qualifications and BG insurance.
• Follow all guidelines laid down by WGC and BG.
• Promote the positive aspects of the sport, such as fair play.
• Treat all allegations or suspicions of abuse seriously and with discretion.
• Keep all matters concerning the business of the Club confidential.
• Keep information relating to a gymnast confidential unless it is a specific welfare matter.
• Hold a duty of care that includes a responsibility to ensure that equipment is safe to use, suitable for purpose and appropriate for the gymnasts’ ability level.
• Ensure all Health and Safety matters are recorded and are obligated to bring them to the attention of the Head of Coaches and Welfare Officer.
• Discourage unsafe and inappropriate behaviour.
• Encourage all performers to value their performances and not just results.
• Never exert undue influence over gymnasts to obtain personal benefit or reward.
• Always be immediately accessible and never leave the premises while a session is in progress.
• Always ensure that there is a minimum of two responsible adults present during each session; one of which must be level 2 or above, the other must not be a participating gymnast.

Drugs, Alcohol and Criminal Convictions

• The use or possession or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol while on the premises is strictly prohibited.
• A DBS disclosure is required. A conviction of a criminal offence during the term of volunteering must be reported to the Club Chairperson or Head of Coaches.

Gymnasts

The Club is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all our gymnasts. The Club believes that it is important that gymnasts, coaches, administrators and parents associated with the Club should, at all times, show respect and understanding for the safety and welfare of others. Therefore, gymnasts and parents are encouraged to be open at all times and share any concerns that they may have about any aspect of the Club with the Head Coach of the section or the Club Welfare Officer.
As a member of the Club you are expected to abide by the following rules:

• Gymnasts must wear suitable attire (t-shirt and shorts/leggings, or leotards) for training and events as agreed with the Coach. All long hair must be tied back and all body jewellery must be removed, in accordance with WGC’s jewellery policy. If jewellery cannot be removed a gymnast cannot participate, unless previously agreed with Head Coach in competitive disciplines only.
• Gymnasts must inform the Head Coach of the section of any injuries or illness they may have before the warm up begins.
• Gymnasts should not eat or chew gum during a session.
• Gymnasts must not use bad language and are expected to maintain a good standard of behaviour at all times.
• Gymnasts must treat all equipment with respect and must not climb upon or use any equipment unless instructed to do so by a coach.
• Gymnasts must follow the instructions of the Coach at all times.
• All gymnasts must participate within the rules and respect Coaches, Judges and Officials and their decisions.
• All gymnasts must respect their opponents and fellow club members.
• Gymnasts should keep to agreed timings for training and competitions or inform their Coach if they are going to be late. Failure to attend training sessions on a regular basis without good reason and notification may result in a gymnast losing their place.
• Gymnasts must not smoke, consume or take or be under the influence of alcohol or drugs of any kind when training or representing the Club.
• Gymnasts under the age of 14 should remain with coaches at the end of a session until collected by their parent or guardian, unless parental consent has been given for walking home unaccompanied.
• Gymnasts must not leave the gymnasium or sports hall without the permission of their coach.
• Waterside Gymnastics’ Club reserve the right to remove from training, any gymnast who does not adhere to the rules or who is seen to compromise their own or others safety.