Immanuel Piranhas Swim Club prides itself on being a club which can bring the whole family together to participate in a healthy sport.  Club Committee members are parents of swimmers from the club and carry out the operations of the swimming club on a voluntary basis.

All parents are expected to help, particularly if we hold our own Club carnival, as well as other carnivals as required. It is in this area that parents can make a very worthwhile contribution: by giving encouragement, showing an active interest and keeping an up to date knowledge of club activities e.g. reading the handbook and newsletter, volunteering as timekeepers etc. It will not only be appreciated by the Club Committee, but by the children whose enthusiasm receives a tremendous boost through seeing mum or dad as part of the ‘team’ supporting them in their sport.

Some of the positions or volunteering jobs parents might be expected to do include:

• Team Manager – Organising the children for their events at carnivals/competitions
• Timekeeper – Timing races with a stopwatch
• Official at Carnivals – Examples; Starter, Check Starter, Judge of Stroke, Marshal, or Inspector of Turns
• General Assistance – offer any assistance as required at any time
• Fundraising – assist the club with raising money (e.g. Community Lottery)

It is a SwimmingSA requirement that all parents complete the following (including certificates to be uploaded in your Swim Central profile in ‘Documents’) as:

•  Working With Children Check (WWCC)
   If you don’t have a current WWCC, then can be requested through SwimmingSA for FREE at: https://form.jotform.co/swimmingsaevents/wwc-application-form

• Sport Integrity Australia – Child Safeguarding
  From 1st January 2023, any parent who officiates, whether qualified or not, will need to have undertaken the online course to be able to nominate to officiate. To access this course, please click on the link below:
  https://elearning.sportintegrity.gov.au/blocks/androgogic_catalogue/index.php?c1=Courses

The Club’s expectation is that all parents, if rostered to officiate/team manage at a meet, nominate via SwimCentral by the stated closing date. From 1st January 2023, if a member fails to comply with requests to officiate/team manage a fine will be imposed by the club. The first fine will cost $50, subsequent non-compliance will attract a $100 fine per instance. If the fine is not paid within 30 days, membership will be suspended until paid in full.

NOTE: Members are free to organise mutually agreeable swaps with other club members if unable to fulfill their duty. Please communicate all agreed swaps to the membership officer at membership.ipiranhas@gmail.com 

Officiating and Timekeeping

• Each Club attending a carnival can be allocated a number of timekeeping or officiating positions according to the number of swimmers entered in each carnival.  If you are rostered as a timekeeper or official it is important to complete your allocated time slot. Every effort will be made to align allocations with swimmers events.
• Technical Officials may also be required to be provided by participating Clubs. Swimming SA conducts theory courses online, with practical training occurring on pool deck at open carnivals and Swimming SA meets. Contact a Club committee member to discuss.

Team Manager

Team Managers are allocated at each carnival where we have swimmers attending.  The role responsibilities include:

• The team manager is the liaison between swimmers, coaches and event officials. They need to be at the meet from the start of warm up until the finish, and to attend team manager briefings.
• The role of the team manager is to facilitate communication between swimmers, coaches and event officials as necessary.
• The team manager DOES NOT replace the role of the parent in supervising their swimmer.
• The team manager is responsible for liaising with and lodging paperwork with meet officials however it is the swimmer or their parent who is responsible for advising the team manager of the required information, e.g. if the swimmer is withdrawing (or not) from a final at a championship event.

Must attend Team Manager briefing which is held 60 minutes prior to the start of the meet.

• To communicate any specific instructions from the briefing to the coaches and/or swimmers as required.
• To respond to club/swimmer queries from the event organisers/officials
• To address any basic first aid needs of swimmers and seek further trained assistance where needed.
• They represent and support the swimmers (within the context of the behaviour and child protection policies of Swimming SA) and the club should any issues arise and until such time as a parent is available and/or the concern is resolved.