THE CODE OF CONDUCT
download RHCC Code of Conduct and Club Policies March 27 2010
The Board of the Richmond Hill Canoe Club has approved a set of guidelines and expectation of behaviour for athletes, parents, coaches, and board members, in order to encourage and maintain a safe and positive environment within the Club and amongst all its members
The recommendations and practices outlined in this document
is intended to promote
order, safety, structure and good sportsmanship
at the Richmond Hill Canoe Club.
It is not the intent to replace any legal structures or to bypass the rule of law.
In the event of any major disputes at the RHCC,
the rule of law shall prevail.
THE CODE OF CONDUCT
OF THE RICHMOND HILL CANOE CLUB
This Code of Conduct applies to all members of the Richmond Hill Canoe Club (including paddling members as outlined in By-law 1, general members as outlined in Bylaw 2, special members as outlined in By-law 3, and Board members) when participating in club activities or club-related events.
All Club activities will be conducted within an environment of mutual respect and courtesy.
IN GENERAL….
Members of the RHCC and other clubs, officials and spectators:
- should be treated with dignity and respect
- should have freedom from physical and verbal harassment
Members must:
- be responsible for their own actions
- follow club rules
- be co-operative with and respect the coaching staff
- respect the decisions of the Board of Directors, including those in the posted Club Policies
- refrain from rough play, throwing objects, and horseplay on the dock
- communicate courteously and avoid using any profane, vulgar, threatening, harassing or insulting expressions
- seek the assistance of staff, if needed, to resolve disagreements
- maintain a clean and safe environment
- show proper care and respect for club property and the property of others
- respect and abide by decisions regarding regatta entries and the crews for team boats made by the coaching staff
- not drink or smoke under-age, possess or use illegal drugs, or drive in a manner that could endanger other members (on water or on land) while engaged in club activities
- read and understand all club policies
Violence in any form will not be tolerated: verbal and physical intimidation or assault, etc.
Conduct contrary to the code above is “injurious to the Club” and can lead to suspension or termination of membership privileges.
Twenty Four (24) Hour Rule: Conflicts should not be dealt with during training sessions or at regattas. It is recommended that parties walk away from the conflict if safe to do so. The RHCC endorses the “24 hour rule” when launching a complaint against the Club or any of its members or coaching staff. This involves waiting a “cooling off” period of 24 hours following the “incident”. After 24 hours, it is recommended that the member(s) speaks directly (preferably in person) to the party(ies) involved with the conflict. A third party may be brought in, if necessary, to try to resolve the issue. Unresolved issues can be brought forth to the Complaints Committee in writing.
THE GUIDELINES FOR DISCIPLINE OF THE RICHMOND HILL CANOE CLUB
These Guidelines for Discipline apply to all paddling, general and special members of the Club for all club and club-related activities.
Incidents are cumulative. Corrective action and interventions by the Club that do not result in change or improvement will result in escalating consequences in the form of suspensions and finally termination of membership.
The Disciplinary Procedure shall include the following steps:
(1) a verbal warning, with a written record kept of the verbal warning
(2) a written warning from the Discipline Committee
(3) an invitation to a documented interview with the Disciplinary Committee; in the event that the invitation is declined, a documented meeting and action by the Disciplinary Committee
(4) a suspension of membership privileges for a given time
(5) a termination of membership privileges
A member with paddling privileges may have his/her membership suspended and/or revoked for neglecting the safety standards of the Club. An infraction involving the refusal to comply with safety regulations shall mean an immediate suspension of membership privileges for a length of time determined by the Head Coach and the Commodore. A member and/or his/her parent may appeal this suspension by requesting a meeting of the Disciplinary Committee.
Letter of Warning
Letter of Warning may result from:
- ignoring verbal corrective directives issued by staff or Disciplinary Committee
- outright disobedience and disrespect to a staff member
- failure by a member of the coaching staff to follow club policies
- refusal to abide by selection to team boats
- any other action which violates the Code of Conduct upon decision of the Disciplinary Committee following a meeting to which the member has been invited
Major Infractions
For major infractions there will be an automatic suspension for a period determined by the Board and possible expulsion. The police may be called. During club related activities, major infractions include:
- drinking underage
- use of illegal drugs or possession of drug-related items
- speeding or dangerous driving near the club or at away regattas (on water or land)
- violence or threats of bodily harm
Members who destroy or damage club property will be required to pay the cost of repair or replacement.
Membership Fees
If fees are not paid within 2 weeks of being due, an invoice generated by the Treasurer (copied to the Commodore and Registrar) requesting payment will be hand-delivered, emailed or mailed, notifying the member that membership privileges will be suspended in 2 weeks if the fees remain unpaid at that time. Full privileges will be restored when fees are paid in full. Special accommodations may be given for those experiencing temporary financial distress.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES OF THE RICHMOND HILL CANOE CLUB
Members of the Disciplinary Committee for the upcoming year will be named prior to April 1 of each season. When vacancies occur on the Committee during the course of the year, they shall be filled by persons appointed by the Board of Directors.
The Disciplinary Procedure shall include:
(1) a verbal warning, with a written record kept of the verbal warning
(2) a written warning from the Disciplinary Committee
(3) an invitation to a documented interview with the Disciplinary Committee; in the event that the invitation is declined, a documented meeting and action by the Disciplinary Committee
(4) a suspension of membership privileges for a given time
(5) a termination of membership privileges
1. All members are permitted to control an immediate safety issue.
2. Parents may take corrective action for the behaviour of their own children or those who have been entrusted to their care. Concerns about the actions of other paddlers shall be brought to the attention of the coaching staff.
3. All coaching staff are permitted to make a verbal warning of a disciplinary nature to any paddler. The verbal warning will be followed by a verbal report to the head coach for serious incidents. Repeated minor incidents or a major incident will be reported in writing to the Disciplinary Committee.
4. Members’ written concerns about incidents involving paddlers, parents, general members or staff at the Club or competition site will be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.
5. Members will be encouraged to settle mutual differences between themselves, mediated by a coach or member of the Disciplinary Committee.
6. If the action of a member requires a meeting of the Disciplinary Committee then the committee shall be required to meet within 15 days of a written report regarding the infraction being delivered to the Head Coach, Commodore or Board of Directors. The decision of the Disciplinary Committee must be made available in writing to the member within 5 days of the meeting.
7. A decision of the Disciplinary Committee shall be appealed to the Board of directors in the event that the member in question has grounds that the written Guidelines for Discipline were not followed. The request for appeal must be given in writing to the Board within 7 days of the receipt of the written decision of the Disciplinary Committee
SPECIFICALLY…
Expectations for Athletes
The “athlete” refers to all athletes training at the Richmond Hill Canoe Club (hereafter referred to as the Club), including all athletes in the recreation, development and competitive streams (racing development, advanced, and high performance). Expectations for experienced masters and inexperienced masters are described separately.
Athletes at the Club are expected to:
- Come motivated and ready to work hard
- Be organized and on time
- Treat others with the same respect and fairness that they wish to receive
- Assist in developing a Club atmosphere that is inclusive and open.
- Respect and encourage other team mates at all times, including when training or racing
- Refrain from disrespectful behaviour towards fellow athletes, parents or coaches. This includes inappropriate teasing, yelling, talking back, etc.
- Acknowledge that the head coach and the coaching staff are in charge of managing the club which includes but is not limited to: club maintenance, club safety, and the running of all the programs, and are deserving of respect and attention in all situations.
- During training, respectfully listen to the coach in all aspects of training including but not limited to: nutrition advice, strength training technique, on-water technique, racing or any other area of cross training that are related to the program.
- Ensure that no other family member interferes during training or coaching.
- On race day and during each race, listen to the coach and heed all of the advice given.
- Relay any concerns or questions in a respectful and polite manner.
- Inform the coach of an early departure from practice or the reason(s) for a late arrival.
- Respect any coach or high performance athlete with regards to matters of on and off-water safety.
- Familiarize themselves with and follow the RHCC paddling safety rules (as outlined below)
- Attend all regattas throughout the racing season. If they cannot come then they must notify the coach as soon as they can.
- Arrive at the race course at the time given by the coach and if they cannot, for whatever reason, they must notify the coach
- Adhere to the coach’s decisions with respect to race entries and team boat selection. If there are questions and concerns about said selection or entries, then the athlete should bring them to the coaching staff involved in the decision.
- Be aware of and keep track of their own race times at each regatta.
- Remain with their respective coaches during regattas and reserve contact with parents to breaks and lunch time. It is not time to socialize between races, as the athletes need to focus and prepare themselves for the next race.
- Show up for both boat loading and unloading for each regatta, even if it means that they have to make an additional trip to the club house during off hours. It is their responsibility to find out the time and location for loading/unloading from the coach.
- Efficiently and promptly load and unload boats as directed by the coaches and high performance athletes
- Assist with the cleanup of the clubhouse and other training facilities promptly after workouts.
- Assist with dock installation and storage when required at the beginning and the end of the season
- Keep cell phones turned off during training and at competitions.
- Respect all equipment. Paddles need to be put away after training and all club boats must be dried off daily and cleaned weekly. If an athlete is seen abusing or misusing club equipment, then they will receive a warning. The second time it occurs, that piece of equipment will be taken away and replaced with something else. If the athlete is negligently using the equipment in such a way that it is seen as blatantly disrespectful to the Club, then it will be taken away immediately.
- Respect the privately owned equipment stored by the club and do not use without prior permission from the owner.
- Thank those who contribute to their athletic development.
Expectations for Coaches
The “Coach” below refers to all coaches employed by the Club, including the head coach, assistant coach, coach for the inexperienced masters, junior coach, dragon boat coach, adult intro course coach and summer camp coach; full or part-time for canoe, kayak or dragon boat.
A good coach helps to create positive sporting experiences for his/her athletes, and helps each athlete realize their athletic potential. A good coach can impart the value of hard work, motivation, focus, discipline and tenacity; in short, valuable life skills. A good coach must be proficient in many areas, including technical knowledge, people management, sports safety (including water and watercraft safety) and coaching techniques. A coach’s conduct towards athletes, parents and other Club members must be characterized by courtesy, good faith and respect at all times.
A Richmond Hill Canoe Club Coach is expected to:
- Act with integrity and respect in performing all duties owed to the athletes, the parents, other coaches, and the sport, both on and off the water
- Act in the best interest of the athlete’s development as a whole person.
- Strive to maintain the present and future health and well-being of the athlete
- Strictly respect and observe all Club procedural and safety regulations
- Be organized and on time
- Communicate changes to training schedules and coaches, if any, in a timely manner
- Be familiar with the Long Term Athlete Development manual of the CKC, as approved by the Club
(http://www.canoekayak.ca/files/LTAD_English_DRAFTfinal.pdf)
- Plan, execute and assess outstanding training programs for all levels of athletes
- Identify and recruit potential competitive paddlers from summer camps
- Provide appropriate communication/notice of regatta schedules, team boat crews, etc.
- Monitor and maintain all Club equipment, reporting to the Board any inadequacies and recommendations for follow-up
- Ensure training and racing sites are safe.
- Be prepared to act appropriately in case of emergency
- Avoid placing athletes in situations presenting unnecessary risk or beyond their level/ability
- Make wise use of the authority of the position and make decisions in the interest of the athletes
- Ensure that everyone is treated equally, regardless of athletic potential, ethnicity, sex, language, religion or age
- Always ensure decisions are taken equitably
- Honour commitments and agreed objectives
- Maintain confidentiality and privacy of personal information, and use it appropriately.
- Maintain dignity in all circumstances and exercise self-control
- Avoid situations that may affect objectivity or impartiality of coaching duties
- Abstain from all behaviors considered to be harassment or inappropriate relations with an athlete
- Ensure that no other family member interferes during training or coaching.
- Respect race officials
- Respond to all Board requests and emails in a timely matter, where and when appropriate.
- Be accessible, approachable and available for parents to discuss any training, attendance or other issues relating to their child
- Take steps to resolve any outstanding issue with an athlete, a parent or a board member in an open-minded and respectful way. If the issue remains unresolved, then the coach is asked to contact the Complaints Committee of the Club.
Expectations for Parents
Parents play a significant role in the success of their child’s sporting experience. It is important to monitor the type of support and expectations for their child. How a parent reacts to any particular situation that the athlete encounters in the sport will be mirrored by the athlete, so particularly in cases of dispute and disagreement, it is important to encourage good sportsmanship by being a positive role model to their child. The parents’ conduct towards coaches and other fellow parents, athletes and special members of the Club must be characterized by courtesy, good faith and respect.
Parents and legal guardians of athletes training at the Richmond Hill Canoe Club are expected to:
- Support and encourage their child at all times, no matter what the outcome or circumstance.
- Understand that this is a team sport and strive to be supportive of the whole team and not just individual athletes
- Inform the coach of any physical disability or ailment that may affect the safety of the child or the health and safety of others
- Be respectful of coaching decisions and also of race officials
- Refrain from interfering with training, coaching or racing at any time or at any venue. This includes issues of concern such as their child’s performance, training regime, etc. All these issues should be discussed at an appropriate and pre-arranged time and place (ie never before, during or immediately after a race or during training). Follow the “24 hour rule” (see page 2). Be sure to follow the designated chain of command, ie if an issue with a junior coach cannot be satisfactorily resolved, speak with the head coach prior to contacting the Board.
- Contact the Complaints Committee of the Club if an issue has not been satisfactorily resolved directly with the head coach
- Be familiar with the Long Term Athlete Development Plan endorsed by the CKC and the Club (http://www.canoekayak.ca/files/LTAD_English_DRAFTfinal.pdf)
- Understand that racing development, advanced, and high performance levels are part of the developmental and competitive stream of sprint kayaking and canoeing. Training and competing at these levels require total commitment, focus and effort. This is not summer camp week over week.
- Volunteer from time to time. Parental volunteer involvement with the club at any level is necessary and heavily encouraged. The Club is a collective group of volunteers trying our best to maximize the potential in your child and in the club.
- Be pro-active in seeking regatta-related information (for example, ensuring that you are on the email distribution list, seeking confirmation from coaches, etc, and not relying solely on information coming home with athletes).
- Respond to emails when requested, in order that decisions and appropriate follow-up can be made in a timely fashion.
- Recognize that parents are not to be involved in the decision making of race entries and crew boats.
- Understand that parents are not to instruct an athlete before or after a race as it may conflict with the coach’s plans and strategies
- Reserve contact between the athlete and parents to breaks and lunch time while at regattas. It is not time to socialize between races, as the athletes need to focus and prepare themselves for the next race.
- Ensure that no other family member interferes during training or coaching.
- Pay all fees owing to the Club on time
- Fulfill bingo duties if required, or else face a financial penalty
- Acknowledge that athletes participating in Divisionals, Provincials and Nationals pay fees for single and tandem racing.
- Acknowledge that athletes participating in National and Provincial Team Trials are expected to pay for their own racing fees, transportation, hotel and food expenses. They will split the truck rental costs. The Club will assist with the coach’s hotel and meal expenses where and when possible.
Expectations for Board Members
The RHCC Board is made up of Officers and Committees of Management. The Board is to be run effectively by applying good governance principles and practices. The Board’s role is to govern and should not be involved in coaching or day-to-day training.
The role of the Board is to:
- Set objectives, define policy and develop strategic direction
- Incorporate good governance and ethical standards into daily activities
- Specify the responsibilities of the co-commodores, board members and coaching staff
- Ensure the board provides satisfactory leadership, planning, organization, and control
- Monitor the performance of coaches, athletes and volunteers
- Monitor the performance of the Club
- Ensure present plans and actions provide for the Club’s continuity
- Manage communication with members and other stakeholders including municipality, WOD, OCSRA, CKC, sponsors, etc
- Manage risk
- Ensure compliance with policies, laws and regulations
- Undertake a regular review of the Club’s finances.
- Board members are to make decisions in the best interest of the entire club membership, including staff and volunteers, and not on the basis of their own personal situation.
- Board members are asked to maintain confidentiality of Board matters where and when appropriate.
- Board members are expected to do their fair share and accept responsibilities and duties as needed.
- Board members are not to be involved in the decision making of crew boats or race entries.
- Board members are not to talk to the coach about board-related matters during active training or racing.
- The Board shall involve the head coach in areas relevant to the role and execution of coaching duties.
Expectations for Master’s (Experienced and Inexperienced)
The Experienced Masters at the RHCC are expected to:
- Obey all the on water safety rules (no paddling alone, no paddling in the dark and no paddling without wearing a life jacket in cold water scenarios)
- Assist any paddler experiencing difficulties on the water.
- Assist at events where volunteers are required
- Respect the equipment at the RHCC
- Respect the privately owned equipment stored at the club and not use it without prior permission.
- Listen to and respect the head coach in matters of safety and equipment use
- Elect a Master’s representative to receive and disseminate information to all Masters regarding their participation in all regattas, organize entries and communicate them to the coach that is submitting the entries. In the case of CanMas submit RHCC entries directly to the CanMas organizer.
- Work bingo or pay a fee
- Be responsible with any club key in their possession and report immediately if it is lost or stolen.
The Masters working under a coach are expected to:
- Refer to the guidelines for athletes
- Be responsible
- Promote good work ethic and club atmosphere
- Discuss any problems, questions or concerns with the master’s coach as they come up and deal with them in a respectful manner
Richmond Hill Canoe Club Paddling Safety Policy
The following policies apply to all members, coaches and guests of the club.
COLD WATER PADDLING:
High performance paddlers may go on the water provided they sign the CKC Cold Water Waiver form, or wear a PFD if the water temperature is 8 degrees C or lower. The coach’s boat must be launched prior to any paddling and remain in the immediate proximity of the paddlers at all times.
Advanced paddlers may go on the water, at the coach’s discretion, if the water temperature is above 8 degrees C. PFDs must be worn until water temperature reaches 10 degrees C. Same coach’s boat rules apply.
If water temperatures are above 8 degrees C for High Performance and 10 degrees C for Advanced paddlers, PFD use is discretionary but may be mandated by the coach based on other safety considerations.
Each paddler shall have available a spare set of dry clothing at the Club House in case of an upset.
During cold weather, paddlers shall, whenever practical, stay in the leeward shallow water where self recovery is possible.
If time trials for the Advanced Group are done in “cold water”, a second safety boat shall be available at the other end of the lake. Radios shall be carried by the safety boats.
COACHES’ BOATS:
The coaches’ boats must be launched prior to any paddling activity occurring. Each boat shall carry a paddle, throw bag, whistle, bailer and emergency blanket. In addition, sufficient PFDs stored in the mesh bags, for individual or team boat members, shall be carried. Enough gasoline shall be taken at the start of each session to preclude having to go ashore to refuel.
There shall be, on the water, one coach/safety boat for every activity group. Excluding the war canoe, if a session has more paddlers than can be safely handled by one boat, the coach is authorized to use junior coaches in a safety role. The head coach shall keep a record of the hours for pay purposes.
LIGHTNING:
Practice or competitions are not to occur if lightning or thunder is perceived. The apparent distance or direction of the lightning or thunder is irrelevant.
TRAINING:
At the start of each session during the summer, new members shall demonstrate swimming and water treading ability. (They shall swim 50 m, tread water for 5 minutes, be able to put on a PFD while treading water and hold the “cold water tucked” position for 1 minute. Respective coaches shall brief members of procedures when an upset occurs. Wet exits and recovery are to be practiced during beginner’s classes. Use of recovery equipment, throw bags, radios, whistle and horn signals shall be taught to all boat drivers and paddlers.
Members who do not pass a swim test must wear at PFD while on the water. All bantam, atom and peewee paddlers must wear a PFD. Shoes other than “water socks” are prohibited in club boats.
REGATTAS:
As per the OCSRA guidelines the following applies to regattas at Lake Wilcox.
At least one emergency transportation vehicle and a First Aider are to be available. This normally is St. John’s Ambulance personnel. The use of 911 paramedics to treat and transport during a critical emergency cannot be ruled out.
At least three safety boats, including the official’s boat must be on the water at all times during races. At least 2 members of the safety crew should be trained in first aid, lifesaving and CPR. Safety boats must be equipped as described in the coach boat section. In addition, they should carry ladders to assist paddlers to board safely. An additional inflatable boat in the safety boats for extra capacity and to aid boarding should be considered.
Motors are to be turned off while paddlers are boarding safety boats.
Club radios are to be made available for the safety boats.
FIRST AID:
Coaches are to maintain first aid and CPR qualifications. A complete first aid kit shall be maintained in the Club House. Monthly inspections of the contents will be done during routine safety/security audits.
MASTERS:
Masters are encouraged to paddle during regular club houses while a safety boat is on the water. New masters are required to demonstrate swimming proficiency or to wear a PFD while on the water. If a master owns his/her boat, uses club facilities and paddles during off hours, he recognizes the inherent risks in this activity and holds the Club harmless. Masters who paddle alone, should be aware of the Coast Guard requirement to have on board a PFD, signaling device and throw rope.
If a master paddles during off hours, the Club House shall, for security reasons, be locked.
NO LONE PADDLING:
It is highly recommended that no club member paddle alone on the lake, whether using a club or privately owned boat.
SIGNALS:
Using either a whistle or the air horn:
Attract attention by one long blast then
- 2 shorter blasts meaning return to shore,
- 3 shorter blasts means paddler in the water
A paddle who does not have a whistle can attract attention by holding a paddle overhead and then pointed to the direction of the problem.
PHILOSOPHY FOR ASSIGNMENT OF PADDLERS TO TEAM BOATS
The assignment of paddlers to team boats will be done by the coaching staff and will depend on the nature of the competition/regatta. Three such classes of competition/regattas are proposed:
- Internal RHCC regattas
- Regular season regattas, and
- WOD trials and subsequent championships.
Trials and Championships are the following:
WOD Trials and Championships
Ontario Championships
Cloverleaf Championships
National Sprint Championships
The Ontario Summer Games fall in alternate years and may be considered either “for fun” or competitive depending on the wishes of the paddlers in a particular age grouping.
All paddlers are encouraged to participate in War Canoe.
Deviations from these guidelines are inevitable because of potential conflicts for boats and paddler participation arising from the particular schedule of a regatta.
Guidelines for Filling Team Boats for RHCC Internal Regattas
Objective: To allow all new members to have fun and gain experience in a familiar, stress-free environment.
- Encourage new and young paddlers to enter as many races as possible. Mixed age groupings and co-ed races are included to permit a full card of races.
- Balance teams so that boats are comparable in speed OR stagger starts so that there is a competitive end of the race. Everyone should have a chance to win.
- No Advanced/HP paddlers allowed to race in any boat other than pleasure canoe or war canoe.
- Advanced/HP paddlers to assist new or young paddlers in activities to be undertaken at regattas.
Guidelines for Filling Team Boats for Regular Season Regattas
Objective: To allow paddlers a reasonable number of races in each regatta.
- The number of races per paddler should be as balanced as possible.
- Normally paddlers will compete in their age group matched with paddlers of similar ability. If there is a short age of paddlers in a given age group to complete a boat then underage paddlers may move up to fill spaces as needed. Paddlers will not move up to displace paddlers of the correct age group from having a race3 except in the case where the underage paddler does not have teams available in his/her age grouping.
- By the time of the Divisional Regatta teams should be proposed for the Divisional Trials using the criteria given below. If possible, these teams should race together for the Division Regatta and the Balmy Beach Regatta since these two courses will be used for the Trials and Provincials.
Guidelines for Filling Team Boats for Trials and Championships
Objective: To maximize number of club medals at Provincials, Cloverleaf and Nationals.
- Team boats should be filled by a #1 crew (fastest group), #2 crew (second fastest group), etc. with the ranking determined by the head coach.
- Normally, Advanced/HP paddlers within an age group would be faster than Summer Members.
- An underage Advanced/HP paddler can move up to a higher age level team boat if there are no suitable paddlers in that age grouping of Advanced/HP paddlers
- A Sumer Member in that age group can paddle with an Advanced/HP team if the team performs better than it can with the underage Advanced/HP paddler
- In the event that a team may perform better with underage paddlers in the boat in place of paddlers who are both of the correct age group and are competent in the boat:
- Due consideration should be given to possible loss of morale of the paddler and the length of time that the individual has been with the club vs. the benefit to be gained in time and placement. Clearly this should only even be considered for a team of advanced/HP paddlers (high time investment) for whom qualifying at the Trials is on the line.
- Underage paddlers should not substitute for paddlers of the correct age in terms of Sumer Members. Summer members are here for the fun and experience and a “house-league” approached is preferred.
- In the event that a paddler is isolated in his/her age group at his/her ability level (eg. Advanced/HP) then that paddler will be treated as an equal member of the higher age group at the ability level and be placed in team boats according to his/her ranking within that group.
- Paddlers who compete in 1 discipline (plus war canoe) within one age group can participate in all team boats for which they are eligible within the 6-race limit. Members who are required to paddle up to permit competitive races for a higher age group may be ineligible for some team boat races within their own age grouping. These cases will need to be addressed on an individual basis so that all age groups have the best chance of qualifying.
- Advanced/HP paddlers competing in midget or higher age groups will be considered to have 1 primary discipline. At these events it is important to have adequate rest and preparation between races and, due to the race schedules, this can only be done when racing within a single discipline.
- Once a paddler has accepted a position in a team boat then a commitment to the team has been made. The paddler must make every reasonable effort to train regularly and to participate on race day. If this commitment is not upheld the paddler may be replaced.
“Club performance at the Provincial and National Level can on occasion be enhanced if we deliberately substitute a paddler (A) in a team boat at WOD trials by a paddler (B) who results in a slower race for the boat but still maintains the chance of qualifying the boat. This can be done for one of the following reasons:
- A is in a tight race situation too close to the time of this particular race. Racing with A may result in a weaker performance for the club in one or the other of the races, compared with performance with the paddler B.
- A is in the full complement of races already.
If you have not been informed in writing that you or your child is racing as a substitute then the paddler is racing for himself/herself.”
RICHMOND HILL CANOE CLUB REFUND POLICY
Refunds of membership fees will hold back the amounts required for Canoe Ontario Insurance, the CCA fee and a $50 administration charge. The remaining fees will be refunded on a pro-rated basis based on the time of the cancellation.
10% of the membership fee will be deducted if the cancellation occurs in the first week, 25% in the second week.
Refunds will be given if programs are not offered as advertised. Prepaid coaching fees are only refundable in case of injury or illness.
BINGO POLICY
The Richmond Hill Canoe Club is a member of the Aladdin Newmarket Charities Association, a group of 28 charities that participate in running daily bingos at Bingo Country in Newmarket. The pooling revenue from this bingo operation helps support our canoe club and its programs and means that we can offer affordable membership fees. All full program members, with the exception of the youth war canoe, are required to work a certain number of bingos each year. The requirement may vary from year to year based on membership and our bingo license.
Each registration form for a full program should be accompanied with one cheque (in the amount of $100) for each bingo required. Each cheque shall be dated for the start of the paddling season, April 1, 2010. One cheque will be immediately cashed for each bingo requirement that you fail to meet over the subsequent 12 month period.
Exception of this policy will be decided upon by the board of directors after review and discussion of a written petition from the member.
BOAT STORAGE
Members storing their private boats in the boathouse will incur a $75 fee per boat per annum payable upon registration. An exception will be made for those members who make their boat available for general club use. The boat owner will still be responsible for their own insurance.
BOAT ALLOCATION
Ultimately the head coach will make the final decision on allocating boats to paddlers enrolled in the club programs (excluding masters) both for training and at regattas and trials.
The coach will use the following factors in the decision.
- Commitment to training
- Care of boat
- Medal chances in racing situations
- Gender equality
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