Electronic Communication Policy of Fox Swim Club

PURPOSE
Fox Swim Club (the “Club”) recognizes the prevalence of electronic communication and social media in today’s world. Many of our swimmers use these means as their primary method of communication. While the Club acknowledges the value of these methods of communication, the Club also realizes that there are associated risks that must be considered when adults use these methods to communicate with minors. 
 

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

I. Content All Electronic Communication from Adult Participants to Minor Athletes must be professional in nature.

II. Open and Transparent

a. If an Adult Participant communicates one-on-one with a Minor Athlete via Electronic Communications, the Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian must be copied or included. If a Minor Athlete communicates to the Adult Participant privately first, said Adult Participant must copy or include the Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian on any Electronic Communication response to the Minor Athlete. Adult Participants must only use Electronic Communication platforms that allow for Open and Transparent communication.

b. The following exceptions apply to Section II(a):

i. In emergency circumstances;

ii. When a Dual Relationship exists; and/or

iii. When the Close-In-Age Exception applies.

c. When an Adult Participant communicates electronically to the entire team or any number of Minor Athletes on the team, said Adult Participant must copy another Adult Participant.

III. Requests to Discontinue Parents/legal guardians may request in writing that their Minor Athlete not be contacted through any form of electronic communication by USA Swimming or by an Adult Participant subject to this Policy. USA Swimming must abide by any such request that the Minor Athlete not be contacted via electronic communication, or included in any social media post, absent emergency circumstances.

IV. Hours Electronic communications must only be sent between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. local time for the location of the Minor Athlete, unless emergency circumstances exist, or during competition travel.

V. Prohibited Electronic Communication

a. Adult Participants are not permitted to maintain private social media connections with Minor Athletes and such Adult Participants are not permitted to accept new personal page requests on social media platforms from Minor Athletes, unless the Adult Participant has a fan page, or the contact is deemed as celebrity contact as opposed to regular contact. Existing social media connections with Minor Athletes must be discontinued. Minor Athletes may “friend”, “like” or “follow” USA Swimming’s official page.

b. Adult Participants must not send private, instant or direct messages to a Minor Athlete through social media platforms.

c. The following exceptions apply to Section V:

i. When a Dual Relationship exists; and/or

ii. When the Close-In-Age Exception applies.