VMSC Policies

VMSC Policies - May 7, 2024

This document is to be used in conjunction with the most current VMSC Bylaws and Constitution. All VMSC policies have been developed with consideration of the current Swim Canada, Swim BC and MSABC policies and may defer to those as our governing bodies.

Mission Statement

To provide members of all abilities an opportunity to swim for fitness, recreation, and competition in a safe, supportive, and social environment that includes structured, professional, and attentive coaching.

Board Roles
Review document VMSC Board Role Descriptions: May 4, 2024

Privacy

  1. VMSC is committed to maintaining the privacy of each individual member’s private and personal information while providing service that involves the collection, use, and disclosure of some personal information for registration and insurance purposes.
  2. VMSC will inform members of why and how we collect, use, and disclose their personal information, and will obtain their consent where required.
  3. Member’s private information will not be available publicly or for viewing by other members of the club with the exception of relevant board directors strictly for club operations such as registration.
  4. Personal information or photos of individuals will not be available on the public-facing club website unless consent is given from those members or coaches.
  5. Relevant medical conditions will be shared with the coaches at the start of the season.

Expenses

  1. Board members and coaches will be reimbursed for costs incurred that fall within the annual budget.
  2. Unplanned expenses that arise in a given year may be covered with board approval on a case by case basis.
  3. Receipts are required for reimbursement.

Inclusion

  1. VMSC follows the inclusion policies of Swimming Canada with the exception for masters swimmers being required to be 18 years or older. Members of VMSC also must be able to abide by the VMSC Code of Conduct.
  2. VMSC follows the MSABC Gender Policy.

Hardship

VMSC does not offer reduced or waived fees as an option for membership within the club for financial hardship cases. However, the board may consider alternate accommodations such as fee payment schedules if approached by a member.

Registration/membership

Membership in the club allows access to the pool for regularly scheduled club training sessions and club-sanctioned events only.

Club membership capacity and fees are set annually by the Board of Directors and approved by majority vote of the membership at each Annual General Meeting of the Club [Bylaws 5.3 and 5.12]. Limited Access Membership capacity may be adjusted throughout the year at board discretion.

Current members are offered the opportunity to renew their membership for a short time period in advance of offering remaining spaces to new members. Timelines for registration renewal and new member registration will be determined each season by the Board of Directors.

At the discretion of the board, by unanimous vote, an affiliate member may be granted returning member registration privileges.

Waitlist

If club registration reaches seasonal capacity, the registrar will maintain a waitlist. Interested swimmers are added to the waitlist on a first-come, first-served basis. A waitlisted swimmer may be given priority at the discretion of the board, by unanimous vote.

The registrar will contact waitlist applicants by email. If a reply is not received within 48 hours, the registrar will remove them from the waitlist, and they need to re-apply should they wish to join the club. This would move their name to the bottom of the waitlist.

Waitlist applicants who respond to the registrar’s email and are offered a spot must register and pay within 48 hours. Registration is not considered complete and the swimmer may not attend practice until payment is made. After 48 hours, the spot may be considered open and the next person on the waitlist will be contacte.

Waitlist applicants who are unable to register when contacted may request to stay at the top of the waitlist and keep registration priority for the remainder of the season and the start of the following season.

Cancellation of registration
In certain cases, subject to board approval, members may:

  • cancel their registration, or
  • pause their registration until the next season, or in some cases, for longer.

To cancel or pause their registration, the swimmer applies to the registrar in writing (i.e., by email).

Accepted reasons for cancelling or pausing a registration are:​​​​​​​

  1. Medical: The member is facing medical issues, including mental health issues, that prevent them from swimming.
  2. Parental leave: A member may pause their membership for up to one year for reasons of pregnancy, childbirth, and/or adoption.
  3. Moving: The member is moving.
  4. Financial reasons: The member’s financial situation has changed and they are no longer able to pay membership fees.
  5. Other: For reasons other than the above, the board may pause or cancel the registration if they are able to fill the spot from the waitlist.

Refunds

When a member cancels or pauses their registration, they are refunded prorated membership fees, based on the total number of weeks remaining of the season (i.e., 24 weeks remaining of a 48-week season would equal half of the year’s fees), minus a $50 administration fee. 

Swim BC/MSABC/Swimming Canada registration fees are not refunded.

Lifetime members

Members who have made extraordinary and longtime contributions to the club may be honoured with a lifetime membership by unanimous approval by the Board. They do not pay VMSC fees, but do pay the BC/MSABC/Swimming Canada registration fees.

Limited-access Pass Membership
Refers to bylaw 5.13(b)

  1. Limited-access Pass Memberships are an alternative registration option to the full or shared membership categories with VMSC. They are only issued to individuals who have been members of VMSC within the past 1 - 2 seasons. New members to the club are not eligible for this registration option.
  2. The number of Limited Access Pass Memberships issued for a given portion of the season will be determined by the board at the beginning of the season prior to registration. It is subject to change based on factors such as overall member attendance and pool space availability.
  3. The sessional fee for each Limited-access Pass Memberships will be determined by the board at the start of each season.

      Procedures

  1. Limited Access Pass Memberships may only attend weekend practices where there is increased pool space and may only attend on 1 day on any given weekend, either Saturday or Sunday.
  2. Limited Access Pass Memberships are issued for a portion of the season (3-4 months at a time) and expire at the end of that session regardless of the number of practices the member attended.

Visiting Swimmers
Refers to bylaw 5.2

As per bylaw 5.2, visiting swimmers may attend club practices, but must contact the board in advance and demonstrate proof of registration with a masters swim organization. The board retains the right to refuse visiting swimmers based on capacity. All guests of the club are expected to meet the club’s standards of swimming etiquette and behaviour. Our Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy applies to guest swimmers.

Test Swimmers
Refers to bylaw 5.2

As per bylaw 5.2, prospective members may be allowed to attend up to one scheduled practice as a guest swimmer with advance arrangements made in conjunction with the registrar.

Coach Requirements

  1. VMSC will register all coaches as required by Swim BC, and will pay all associated coaching registration fees that are required by Swim BC.
  2. Coaches may be allowed to swim occasionally (1-2 x monthly) as space allows and at the on-deck coach’s discretion, provided they have paid their MSABC swimmer registration fees.
  3. Coaches that intend to swim regularly will pay their own VMSC membership and MSABC swimmer registration fees.
  4. Coaches must adhere to and complete all courses and seminars that are required by Swim BC. 5. If there is a cost associated with Swim BC required training, the VMSC Board may consider covering the cost.

Coach Attendance and Compensation at Meets

1. VMSC attends various swim meets during each season, which may be hosted in Victoria or around the province. Coaches may attend in support of the members participating in meets and the club will provide payment as per the following structure:

          a. VMSC will cover coaching costs for meets where there are a minimum of 5 members participating and a second coach if there are a minimum of 10 members attending.
         b. After this, additional coaches may be paid to coach at a meet for every 10 additional members (e.g. 20 attendees)
         c. Coaches will be paid a flat rate of $150 per day at swim meets.
         d. Coaches attending meets will be repaid for any applicable ferry fares and for mileage as per the current Federal Government rate per Km.
         e. Hotel fees may be covered for coaches attending multi-day meets or meets with an early start time that precludes same day travel.
         f. Receipts must be provided for remuneration.
         g. If a coach is attending a meet as both a coach and a swimmer and they are being remunerated by VMSC they are expected to prioritize coaching the swimmers in attendance over their own races.
         h. Hotel/accommodation expenses incurred should remain within a reasonable range based on current market rates. If uncertain, coaches can check with the board in advance. Coaches are requested to attempt to minimize costs if possible by sharing travel.
         i. For extraordinary circumstances such as meets requiring flights to attend or more than 2 nights accommodation the board will decide on a case by case basis.

Discipline/harassment
Refer to bylaws 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, and 5.11.

VMSC adheres to the following MSABC policies, which can be found on the MSABC website:

  • 2.6 Disciplinary Policy
  • 2.7 Appeals Policy and Procedure
  • 2.8 Harassment Policy and Procedure

With the following exceptions:

  1. Where "MSABC" is written in the above-mentioned MSABC policies, "VMSC" will be assumed to replace "MSABC"; and,
  2. MSABC Harassment Policy and Procedures 2.8 refers to a Harassment Advisor and a Harassment Officer (point 3.6 and 3.7). Both of these positions require some training and expertise regarding dealing with harassment. VMSC does not necessarily have the expertise to appoint a Harassment Advisor or a Harassment Officer. If the complaint is deemed beyond the expertise of the club resources, the VMSC board may either contract externally or refer the complaint to MSABC. Preference will be given to contracting out before referring to MSABC.


VMSC Policies

VMSC Policies - May 7, 2024

This document is to be used in conjunction with the most current VMSC Bylaws and Constitution. All VMSC policies have been developed with consideration of the current Swim Canada, Swim BC and MSABC policies and may defer to those as our governing bodies.

Mission Statement

To provide members of all abilities an opportunity to swim for fitness, recreation, and competition in a safe, supportive, and social environment that includes structured, professional, and attentive coaching.

Board Roles
Review document VMSC Board Role Descriptions: May 4, 2024

Privacy

  1. VMSC is committed to maintaining the privacy of each individual member’s private and personal information while providing service that involves the collection, use, and disclosure of some personal information for registration and insurance purposes.
  2. VMSC will inform members of why and how we collect, use, and disclose their personal information, and will obtain their consent where required.
  3. Member’s private information will not be available publicly or for viewing by other members of the club with the exception of relevant board directors strictly for club operations such as registration.
  4. Personal information or photos of individuals will not be available on the public-facing club website unless consent is given from those members or coaches.
  5. Relevant medical conditions will be shared with the coaches at the start of the season.

Expenses

  1. Board members and coaches will be reimbursed for costs incurred that fall within the annual budget.
  2. Unplanned expenses that arise in a given year may be covered with board approval on a case by case basis.
  3. Receipts are required for reimbursement.

Inclusion

  1. VMSC follows the inclusion policies of Swimming Canada with the exception for masters swimmers being required to be 18 years or older. Members of VMSC also must be able to abide by the VMSC Code of Conduct.
  2. VMSC follows the MSABC Gender Policy.

Hardship

VMSC does not offer reduced or waived fees as an option for membership within the club for financial hardship cases. However, the board may consider alternate accommodations such as fee payment schedules if approached by a member.

Registration/membership

Membership in the club allows access to the pool for regularly scheduled club training sessions and club-sanctioned events only.

Club membership capacity and fees are set annually by the Board of Directors and approved by majority vote of the membership at each Annual General Meeting of the Club [Bylaws 5.3 and 5.12]. Limited Access Membership capacity may be adjusted throughout the year at board discretion.

Current members are offered the opportunity to renew their membership for a short time period in advance of offering remaining spaces to new members. Timelines for registration renewal and new member registration will be determined each season by the Board of Directors.

At the discretion of the board, by unanimous vote, an affiliate member may be granted returning member registration privileges.

Waitlist

If club registration reaches seasonal capacity, the registrar will maintain a waitlist. Interested swimmers are added to the waitlist on a first-come, first-served basis. A waitlisted swimmer may be given priority at the discretion of the board, by unanimous vote.

The registrar will contact waitlist applicants by email. If a reply is not received within 48 hours, the registrar will remove them from the waitlist, and they need to re-apply should they wish to join the club. This would move their name to the bottom of the waitlist.

Waitlist applicants who respond to the registrar’s email and are offered a spot must register and pay within 48 hours. Registration is not considered complete and the swimmer may not attend practice until payment is made. After 48 hours, the spot may be considered open and the next person on the waitlist will be contacted.

Waitlist applicants who are unable to register when contacted may request to stay at the top of the waitlist and keep registration priority for the remainder of the season and the start of the following season.

Cancellation of registration
In certain cases, subject to board approval, members may:

  • cancel their registration, or
  • pause their registration until the next season, or in some cases, for longer.

To cancel or pause their registration, the swimmer applies to the registrar in writing (i.e., by email).

Accepted reasons for cancelling or pausing a registration are:

  1. Medical: The member is facing medical issues, including mental health issues, that prevent them from swimming.
  2. Parental leave: A member may pause their membership for up to one year for reasons of pregnancy, childbirth, and/or adoption.
  3. Moving: The member is moving.
  4. Financial reasons: The member’s financial situation has changed and they are no longer able to pay membership fees.
  5. Other: For reasons other than the above, the board may pause or cancel the registration if they are able to fill the spot from the waitlist.

Refunds

When a member cancels or pauses their registration, they are refunded prorated membership fees, based on the total number of weeks remaining of the season (i.e., 24 weeks remaining of a 48-week season would equal half of the year’s fees), minus a $50 administration fee. 

Swim BC/MSABC/Swimming Canada registration fees are not refunded.

Lifetime members

Members who have made extraordinary and longtime contributions to the club may be honoured with a lifetime membership by unanimous approval by the Board. They do not pay VMSC fees, but do pay the BC/MSABC/Swimming Canada registration fees.

Limited-access Pass Membership
Refers to bylaw 5.13(b)

  1. Limited-access Pass Memberships are an alternative registration option to the full or shared membership categories with VMSC. They are only issued to individuals who have been members of VMSC within the past 1 - 2 seasons. New members to the club are not eligible for this registration option.
  2. The number of Limited Access Pass Memberships issued for a given portion of the season will be determined by the board at the beginning of the season prior to registration. It is subject to change based on factors such as overall member attendance and pool space availability.
  3. The sessional fee for each Limited-access Pass Memberships will be determined by the board at the start of each season.

      Procedures

  1. Limited Access Pass Memberships may only attend weekend practices where there is increased pool space and may only attend on 1 day on any given weekend, either Saturday or Sunday.
  2. Limited Access Pass Memberships are issued for a portion of the season (3-4 months at a time) and expire at the end of that session regardless of the number of practices the member attended.

Visiting Swimmers
Refers to bylaw 5.2

As per bylaw 5.2, visiting swimmers may attend club practices, but must contact the board in advance and demonstrate proof of registration with a masters swim organization. The board retains the right to refuse visiting swimmers based on capacity. All guests of the club are expected to meet the club’s standards of swimming etiquette and behaviour. Our Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy applies to guest swimmers.

Test Swimmers
Refers to bylaw 5.2

As per bylaw 5.2, prospective members may be allowed to attend up to one scheduled practice as a guest swimmer with advance arrangements made in conjunction with the registrar.

Coach Requirements

  1. VMSC will register all coaches as required by Swim BC, and will pay all associated coaching registration fees that are required by Swim BC.
  2. Coaches may be allowed to swim occasionally (1-2 x monthly) as space allows and at the on-deck coach’s discretion, provided they have paid their MSABC swimmer registration fees.
  3. Coaches that intend to swim regularly will pay their own VMSC membership and MSABC swimmer registration fees.
  4. Coaches must adhere to and complete all courses and seminars that are required by Swim BC. 5. If there is a cost associated with Swim BC required training, the VMSC Board may consider covering the cost.

Coach Attendance and Compensation at Meets

1. VMSC attends various swim meets during each season, which may be hosted in Victoria or around the province. Coaches may attend in support of the members participating in meets and the club will provide payment as per the following structure:

          a. VMSC will cover coaching costs for meets where there are a minimum of 5 members participating and a second coach if there are a minimum of 10 members attending.
         b. After this, additional coaches may be paid to coach at a meet for every 10 additional members (e.g. 20 attendees)
         c. Coaches will be paid a flat rate of $150 per day at swim meets.
         d. Coaches attending meets will be repaid for any applicable ferry fares and for mileage as per the current Federal Government rate per Km.
         e. Hotel fees may be covered for coaches attending multi-day meets or meets with an early start time that precludes same day travel.
         f. Receipts must be provided for remuneration.
         g. If a coach is attending a meet as both a coach and a swimmer and they are being remunerated by VMSC they are expected to prioritize coaching the swimmers in attendance over their own races.
         h. Hotel/accommodation expenses incurred should remain within a reasonable range based on current market rates. If uncertain, coaches can check with the board in advance. Coaches are requested to attempt to minimize costs if possible by sharing travel.
         i. For extraordinary circumstances such as meets requiring flights to attend or more than 2 nights accommodation the board will decide on a case by case basis.

Discipline/harassment
Refer to bylaws 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, and 5.11.

VMSC adheres to the following MSABC policies, which can be found on the MSABC website:

  • 2.6 Disciplinary Policy
  • 2.7 Appeals Policy and Procedure
  • 2.8 Harassment Policy and Procedure

With the following exceptions:

  1. Where "MSABC" is written in the above-mentioned MSABC policies, "VMSC" will be assumed to replace "MSABC"; and,
  2. MSABC Harassment Policy and Procedures 2.8 refers to a Harassment Advisor and a Harassment Officer (point 3.6 and 3.7). Both of these positions require some training and expertise regarding dealing with harassment. VMSC does not necessarily have the expertise to appoint a Harassment Advisor or a Harassment Officer. If the complaint is deemed beyond the expertise of the club resources, the VMSC board may either contract externally or refer the complaint to MSABC. Preference will be given to contracting out before referring to MSABC.