Introduction

Bo'ness ASC is a competitive swimming Club promoting swimming for all ages and abilities and operates mainly within the Bo'ness Recreation Centre and at Bo'ness Academy. Our main aim is to develop young swimmers into good quality competitive swimmers who enjoy a challenge and seek to achieve their potential in the sport.

We offer coaching for swimmers just starting out with our Developers squad through to our Youth Performance Squad, training with the highly successful FIRST programme. Although competitive swimming is our priority, it is not our only consideration. The Club also welcomes those swimmers who simply wish to remain fit and healthy through regular swimming, or those who are not yet ready to experience the benefits of competitive swimming and training.

BASC is formally constituted with an active Committee elected annually at the AGM. The Committee administers and runs the Club's affairs on behalf of the membership in line with the constitution. All decisions made by the Committee are made with the benefit and progression of the Club and its swimmers in mind. BASC is member of SASA West District and is a founder member of the Falkirk Integrated Regional Swim Team (FIRST). The FIRST programme is a partnership between BASC, Falkirk Otter ASC, Grangemouth ASC, Scottish Swimming and Falkirk Community Trust. Its aim is to provide a competitive training environment where the best swimmers of partner Clubs can develop into national level swimmers. Swimmers who wish to progress from our Gold squad may be invited to join this team whilst remaining members of BASC.

Contact Us

 

Our Development Pathway

• Trialists
• Developers
• Improvers
• Bronze
• Silver
• Gold
• FIRST Age Group Performance
• FIRST Youth Performance

 

Membership Fees

Annual Fee (to pay on 31 January or upon joining the Club): £75 (Fee year starts Mar-Feb)

• The Annual Fee is reduced to £45 for new members joining the Club between Sep-Dec
• The Annual Fee is then reduced to £10 for new members joining the Club between Jan-Feb
• For families with more than one member in the Club the Club’s annual fee is reduced to £140 for 2 members and £180 for 3 members or more
• The Annual Fee for members of the Masters Squad is a reduced amount of £45

*Invite Only Sessions for Bronze and Silver squads incur an additional nominal fee of £5 per six week block.

Swimmers should set up a monthly standing order to BASC to cover fees. Every effort must be made to maintain fees at the appropriate level for their training squad. For administration purpose a separate standing order should be set up for each family member. Where more than two children from the same family are swimming in Gold squad and below, monthly fees are due only for the first two children i.e. the two highest fee paying members.

Please note that these times are the session start/ end times. Swimmers should be poolside ready to warmup ten minutes before the start of a session. Parents should also be there ten minutes before the end of a session. Please note that competitive squad swimmers will carry out a ten minute post-pool stretch routine. The Club's responsibility ends when the session ends/ swimmers clear poolside.

*Invite only sessions are intended to develop swimmers showing potential and commitment, in order to prepare them for their next move. Swimmers will be invited to attend the invite only sessions by the Head Coach, based upon criteria detailed in Policy 17.

Following initial trial, swimmers will be allocated to the appropriate squad. Thereafter, progress is monitored by the coaching team and squad transitions occur at regular intervals throughout the year. The Head Coach has the final decision on swimmer placement.

 

Equipment

Boys should wear tight fitting trunks (e.g. Speedo), as baggy trunks give a lot of resistance in the water. Girls should wear one-piece costumes and all swimmers are encouraged to wear a swimming cap.

Swimmers should bring a plastic bottle containing water or very weak diluting juice. Please do not bring supermarket bottles with loose lids as these can be lost in the water and can be a danger to other pool users. Swimmers are encouraged to wear their Club kit when attending all sessions. All swimmers should wear a Club cap when representing the Club.

All swimmers should have the following equipment at poolside for every session:

• Fins that fit (socks if required) Goggles
• Cap
• Water bottle

Swimmers in Improvers upwards should also have:

• Kick board
• Pull buoy
• Hand & Finger paddles
• Spare goggles

Swimmers in Bronze squad upwards should also have:

• Skipping ropes
• Resistance bands
• Snorkel
• Proper running shoes

All of the above plus the branded team kit is available from the Club’s Swim Shop at the Bo’ness Recreation Centre on a Thursday. Alternatively, you can contact our Swim Shop representative via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Communication

Notices of Club events, competitions, and other information are available on the Club website (www.bonessasc.org) and Facebook page. Important information is also communicated via email. Parents/ guardians must ensure that the Membership Secretary is notified of any changes to emergency or other contact details, including email address. Please contact the Membership Secretary via email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Coaching Queries and Absences

Your primary contact for any queries about coaching or your child’s progress is:

• Developers/ Improvers: Senior Development Coach – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• All other squads: Head Coach - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please also notify these coaches should your child be absent from a session.

Club Queries

If you have a non-coaching query please contact our Club Secretary at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Termination of Membership

If a swimmer decides to leave please discuss this decision with your coach, following which formal notice should be given to the Membership Secretary at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SASA change of club membership forms should be signed by the Membership Secretary and an Officer of the Club.

 

Medical Conditions

It is imperative that the Club is aware of any medical conditions that swimmers may have. Please ensure that the Membership Secretary is informed of any changes to conditions and/or medications. Please contact the Membership Secretary via email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Video and Camera Usage

The use of visual evidence in training and competition is an important tool for coaching swimming. BASC will sometimes use videos and/or cameras during training sessions and competitions for coaches and swimmers to analyse stroke technique and performance. Video evidence of this nature is for internal Club use only and will not be shown to any external agency without the express consent of both the athlete and parent/guardian.

Photographs for newspapers or websites will be used from time to time. Swimmers will only be shown in costumes in action shots – any “dry” or poolside shots will protect the swimmers modesty. To this end, swimmers must have Club kit or other appropriate poolside wear available at competitions and training camps. This reflects the policy set out by Scottish Swimming, our National Governing Body. More detail is available in Policy 9 – Photographic and Video.

Any Club personnel using video or camera equipment will be aware of and agree to abide by the above policy and have permission from the Club Committee for use of equipment at named occasions. External agencies are required to apply for permission and will be made aware of and agree to abide by our policy before permission for use of video/camera equipment is granted.

In line with the above policy, BASC seeks written consent from the parent/guardian of Club swimmers regarding video/camera usage on joining the Club. Please email our Membership Secretary at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information or to notify of any change of circumstances.

For swimmers, there are clear guidelines regarding acceptable use of mobile phones and other hand held devices while attending or representing the Club and these are detailed in Policy 18 – acceptable Use of Mobile Phones.

 

Competition

Participating in competition is a core element of our ethos. It is important that if you say you will attend a competition that you do so. In the case of illness or injury it is unavoidable, but please let the coach know. It reflects badly on the Club if swimmers don’t turn up, and can affect other swimmers as the Club may not be able to enter a relay team due to lack of swimmers. Competition fees should be paid promptly as the Club has to pay these in advance. Once entered, fees become payable, even if a withdrawal is subsequently made. The coach will do withdrawals at the beginning of the first warm-up therefore all swimmers should be poolside twenty minutes before first warm-up. More detail on competition procedure is available in Policy 14 - Competition Entry Procedure.

Competition information is available on the Club website. Further information is available from the Competition Secretary: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Here is a checklist of items that you will need for swimming competitions:

• Two towels (one for poolside use, one for drying yourself)
• Goggles (that fit properly and don’t leak or come off when you dive in), plus a spare set, if possible
• Tight fitting costume/trunk and a spare such costume/trunk for the warm-ups (and ideally a spare such costume/trunk for changing into for later swims)
• Club swimming cap
• Club t-shirt and shorts
• Poolside shoes
• Money for a locker
• Water or weak diluting juice (not fizzy or very concentrated juice) in a plastic sports bottle. You will need two bottles if you are on poolside all day. Note that glass bottles/containers should never be brought onto poolside.
• Snacks (such as a banana, scones/pancakes, nutrigrain bar, Lucozade Sport, jelly beans/jelly, biscuits such as digestives/fig rolls – not crisps, chocolate bars or cakes).
• Something to keep you occupied between swims (book, games etc.)

 

Forth Valley Junior League

The Forth Valley Junior League has been identified as an invaluable series of competitions to West District and Scottish National swimmers as part of their early development. The competition is designed to provide swimmers with the competitive skills and enthusiasm for competing as they progress throughout our Club setting. The league is a less formal competition, against other Clubs in the area, which we have found in the past as helpful in easing the transition between non-competitive and competitive swimming. At Bo’ness we use this opportunity as a chance to create competitive spirit amongst our younger swimmers to ease the transition to competitions in the future. The coach who organises FVJL will contact you should they feel your child is at the correct stage for an introduction to competitions. For further information regarding FVJL please refer to Policy 15 – FVJL or contact the FVJL co-ordinator at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Committee and Coaching Team

The Club is run by volunteers both on the coaching side and the committee. At all events run by the Club, additional help is always required so please volunteer with enthusiasm. We cannot run events without the full support of parents. If you wish to contribute on the coaching side, no experience is required, only energy and enthusiasm. The Club will pay for any courses you may require.

Please also consider joining the committee when a post becomes vacant or at the AGM. Each year, parents have to leave the committee because their child may no longer be swimming regularly. For the Club to continue, we need new parents to come forward and take on these key roles. Our Club's committee is led by the President. Our President works directly with the committee and coaching team to ensure that the Club is always progressing and working within our governing body's regulations.

At Bo'ness ASC we are proud to offer some of the best coaching in the area. We have a range of experienced staff, delivering our members with quality teaching and coaching. Our low swimmer to coach ratio means that we are able to provide all of our swimmers with a unique experience, helping them to fulfil their potential within the sport and become confident individuals.

Our coaching team is led by the Head Coach.

All coaches/ teachers are qualified to UKCC Level 1 as a minimum, with many having achieved UKCC Level 2 accreditation.

All sessions are covered by an NPLQ (National Pool Lifeguard Qualification) accredited Lifeguard, who undertake assessed training regularly.

 

Rules and Regulations

Terms Used

“Club”: Bo’ness ASC (BASC)

"Parents": implies parent(s) and/or guardian(s) of a swimmer

1. Club Colours

The Club colours are black, red and gold.

2. Club Competitions

• Only swimmers who have paid their SASA membership for the current year, monthly swim and competition fees to date, are entitled to swim in the Club Championships.
• Age groups (age as 31st December of that year) 8 years & under, 9 years, 10/11years, 12/13years & 14 and over.
• The Club Championships will be held on a single day in November or December, date to be decided annually by the Committee.
• Events:
  • 25m butterfly, 50m freestyle, breast and back stroke + 100 IM for 8 & under and 9 years age groups;
  • 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, breast and back stroke + 100 IM + 50m Freestyle for 10/11 years.
  • 100m each stroke + 100 IM + 50m Freestyle for all other age-groups.
• Medals will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in each event
• Age-Group Champions will be calculated by the following points system’ 1st 7 point, 2^nd 5 points, 3rd 4 points, 4^th 3 points, 5^th 2 points 6^th 1 point.
• To be eligible for Age-Group Champion, all qualifying events should be swum in the category.
• Trophies will be awarded as detailed in Appendix 1.

 

3. Behaviour of Swimmers – all swimmers must sign and abide by a Code of Conduct (Policy 5) and be aware of the following:

Training Sessions

Swimmers MUST

• Let their coach know if they are unable to make a session
• Swimmers must wait in spectators area until the coach arrives
• Pay attention and listen to the coach
• Be respectful towards coaches and other swimmers
• Obey poolside staff
• Obey poolside signs
• Dive only under supervision
• Be on poolside 10 minutes before the session starts and let their coach know in advance, if they have problems getting to sessions on time. Any swimmer arriving after the session starts, but less than 10 minutes into the session, must have their parent explain the lateness to the coach. Any swimmer arriving more than 10 minutes late can be turned away from the session at the coach’s discretion
• Inform their coach in advance, if they need to leave a session early
• Be properly equipped with goggles that fit properly, a cap and a water bottle. Collect kickboards, fins, Pull Buoys before starting the warm-up

Swimmers MUST NOT

• Enter the water until instructed to do so by a coach
• Horseplay in or around the pool or in the changing rooms
• Vandalise or damage equipment or council property
• Leave the building until a parent or responsible adult collects them
• Distract or disrupt other swimmers during training sessions
• Physically or verbally intimidate other Club members
• Leave clothes lying out in the changing rooms

 

At Competitions

Swimmers MUST

• Arrive on poolside twenty minutes before the warm-up and report to the coach
• Speak to the coach before and after the warm-up and each race to obtain advice and feedback on their swim
• Stay with their team poolside
• Let coaches/team managers know where they are at all times
• Always listen to the safety announcement and general poolside announcements
• Wear Club cap at warm-up and during races
• Wear Club t-shirt at medal presentations
• Listen to and respect the views of their fellow swimmers

4. Behaviour of Coaches - all coaches must sign and abide by a Code of Conduct (Policy 4).

5. Behaviour of Parents - all parents must sign and abide by a Code of Conduct (Policy 6) and:

Parents MUST

• Ensure that a coach or parent helper is present before dropping the swimmer at the pool. This will involve entering the building with their child and/or children for whom they are responsible
• Inform the coach personally, or via another adult, if their child is required to leave a training session early
• Arrive to collect their child/children ten minutes before the session is due to finish. The Club’s responsibility for swimmers ends when the session ends
• Resist the temptation to provide coaching advice to their child
• Always discuss with the coach, in the first instance, any concerns about their child’s performance, behaviour, or other issue.
• Be willing to undertake to help the Club, if requested to do so, and if necessary to ensure that the chaperone requirement at training sessions and galas is met

Parents MUST NOT

• Coach from the spectator area
• Go on poolside unless asked to by a coach
• Use physical or emotional punishment with respect to the swimmer’s performance
• Get into public arguments with the coach, as this undermines the authority of the coach on poolside

6. Discipline and Complaints

• Any misbehaviour by a swimmer during a training session will be dealt with by the coach in an appropriate manner
• Should further action be required it will be dealt with in accordance with Policy 2 (Disciplinary Procedure) and 3 (Grievance Procedure)

7. Officiating

• The Club will pay the cost of SASA Timekeeper, Judge Recorder, Starter and Referee courses for parents willing to undertake such courses.
• Parents must be willing to undertake a fair share of officiating at competitions.
• If there is not the required quota of officials for West District competitions, then the committee may selectively withdraw swimmers until the required quota of swimmers meets the number of officials or pass on the fine for uncovered sessions to parents of swimmers who have not helped officiate at the competition.

8. Competition Fees

• All entry fees for confirmed swims must be paid before the meet.
• Once competition entries have been submitted by the Club the swimmer/parent is liable for these fees, even if the swimmer does not swim on the day.
• Withdrawal prior to or non-show on the day will result in the full cost of the competition fee being due not the subsidised rate.
• More details can be found in Policy 14 - Competition Entry Procedure

9. Review Process

• These rules and regulations will be reviewed by the Management Committee as required.
• As per the constitution, the Management Committee is responsible for all changes to the Rules and Regulations of the Club.

 

Appendix 1 - Trophies

Boy/Girl	Age/Event	Trophy Name	Winner
Girls	8 yrs & under	Bo'ness ASC Trophy	Age Group Winner
Boys	8 yrs & under	Bo'ness ASC Trophy	Age Group Winner
Girls	9 years	Alexander Trophy	Age Group Winner
Boys	9 years	Harry Constable Trophy	Age Group Winner
Girls	10/11 years	Journal & Gazette Cup	Age Group Winner
Boys	10/11 years	Bo’ness ASC Trophy	Age Group Winner
Girls	12/13 years	Bo’ness ASC Trophy	Age Group Winner
Boys	12/13 years	Bo’ness ASC Trophy	Age Group Winner
Girls	14 yrs & over	E.J.S. Shield	Age Group Winner
Boys	14 yrs & over	Bo’ness ASC Shield	Age Group Winner
Girls	Junior 100 IM	Stuart Martin Memorial Trophy	Fastest 100m IM swum on the day. Age 11 & under.
Boys	Junior 100 IM	Seamus Laffan Shield	Fastest 100m IM swum on the day. Age 11 & under.
Girls	Senior 100 IM	Hundleby Cup	Fastest 100m IM swum on the day. Age 12 & over.
Boys	Senior 100 IM	Serpent Cup	Fastest 100m IM swum on the day. Age 12 & over.
Girls	Junior 50 Free	Victory Cup	Fastest 50m Freestyle swum on the day. Age 11 & under.
Boys	Junior 50 Free	Round Table Cup	Fastest 50m Freestyle swum on the day. Age 11 & under.
Girls	Senior 50 Free	Challenge Cup	Fastest 50m Freestyle swum on the day. Age 12 & over.
Boys	Senior 50 Free	B.P. in Scotland Cup	Fastest 50m Freestyle swum on the day. Age 12 & over.
Girl or Boy	Swimmer of the Year	The Sreenan Trophy	The overall best swimmer in the Club based on external competition results.
Girl or Boy	The Challenger of the Year Award	The Calder Cup	The overall biggest improver across the whole Club.

 

Appendix 2 – BASC Policies

This Handbook should be read in conjunction with BASC’s Policies, Constitution and Bye-Laws which are available on the website.