As athletes advance in the sport of Artistic Swimming, they will participate in an increasing number of competitions with more travel opportunities. Atlantis’ travel policies distinguish between travel with parents/guardians (generally for the 11-12 age group) and travel with chaperones (ages 13 and over). Athletes in 10U teams will not participate in any out-of-province competitions.
Atlantis teams traveling with parents/guardians may compete in events throughout the Atlantic provinces. Atlantis may help facilitate certain aspects of travel, but ultimate responsibility lies with the parents/guardians. Each athlete must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Accommodations
Hotel accommodations will be arranged by Atlantis’ travel coordinator. An email will be sent to all families to inform them of the hotel block booking. Athletes and families must stay in the same hotel as the rest of the team to allow for team meetings, land drill practice time, stretching and warmups.
Transportation
Parents/guardians are responsible for the transportation of their athletes to and from the competition location. Shared driving is encouraged and should be arranged by families. Atlantis is NOT responsible for arranging transportation for athletes.
Meals
Parents/guardians are responsible for arranging meals for their athletes for the duration of the competition. Shared arrangements are encouraged, but any reimbursement of costs will be arranged by the families themselves.
Coach Costs
Athletes are expected to cover the costs associated with bringing their coach to any competition they attend. These costs will be prorated to each team and added to the athlete’s Competition Account. Coach costs may include:
Athletes in the 13 and over age groups may travel with parent chaperones. Atlantis will generally maintain a ratio of 1 chaperone per 5 athletes, with a minimum of 2 chaperones at any competition. Some chaperone costs will be covered equally by the athletes of the team which they are accompanying (“Shared Athlete Costs”). Some chaperone costs will not be covered by the Shared Athlete Costs. Although chaperones bear a great deal of responsibility, the intent is not to provide all-expense paid travel to parents/guardians who have the flexibility to attend multiple competitions. Atlantis strives to maintain a balance that encourages chaperone volunteers by alleviating some of the costs while not overburdening families who are not able to attend in person.
Chaperone Selection
A call for chaperones will be made in advance of all away competitions where chaperones are required. In the event that multiple chaperones express interest, selection will be made by the coach, head coach, and travel coordinator. This decision will be binding.
In the event that not enough chaperones are available, Atlantis coaches may be required to attend the event as paid chaperones. In this case, all of the coach’s expenses will be covered by the team they are accompanying (charged on each athlete’s Competition Account).
Chaperone Responsibilities
Chaperones assist the coach in ensuring the safety and supervision of all athletes, taking into consideration the age and needs of individual athletes.
Chaperone Air Travel
50% of chaperones’ air fare will be a Shared Athlete Cost, with the remaining 50% covered by the chaperone themselves. The 50% will be based on the group rate obtained by the travel coordinator. If Chaperones choose to book more expensive flight arrangements, they will only be reimbursed at the group rate.
Chaperones may choose to arrive earlier or at the same time on a different flight. However, to ensure there are enough responsible adults traveling with the group, approval from the head coach is required.
In the case where chaperones drive to and from a competition, they will be reimbursed for 50% of their mileage at $0.45 per KM.
Group Air Travel
Travel is arranged by the club’s travel coordinator, based on the approval of the coach/head coach. Travel planning and itineraries are based on the following criteria: cost, departure time, number of connections and availability of replacement flights in case of flight cancellation. The travel coordinator will explore group booking for air travel, where feasible.
The travel coordinator will book travel and arrange payment for all coaches. The travel coordinator will make transportation bookings or provide all necessary information and deadlines at the earliest possible juncture for parents/guardians to make their own bookings. In cases where the travel coordinator arranges a group booking for flights, parents/guardians will be asked to either reimburse the travel coordinator directly or otherwise the cost will be included in the next Competition Account invoice.
Solo Air Travel
While it is highly encouraged that athletes travel together, parents/guardians may plan separate travel arrangements for their athlete (for example, in cases where they might not be flying in from Halifax, or when they have conflicting schedules).
Solo-travelling athletes must submit their proposed travel itinerary to their coach for approval before booking. Coaches may ask athletes to adjust their plans if the proposed itinerary is not acceptable.
Solo-travelling athletes must also notify the travel coordinator well enough in advance so that they do not get included in group bookings. Without sufficient notice, the travel coordinator books all athletes with the group, in which case the solo-travelling athlete will be responsible for any cancellations and any fees that may result.
In cases where solo-travelling athletes land separately from the team, parents/guardians may need to arrange for individual ground transportation from the destination airport into coach/chaperone care. In the case of departure, parents/guardians may need to arrange ground transportation to the airport for solo-travelling athletes. Athletes are not the responsibility of chaperones/coaches once they leave their care. Solo-travelling athletes do not become the responsibility of chaperones or coaches until they arrive in their care, as pre-arranged between families and coaches/chaperones.
Coaches, chaperones and Atlantis are not responsible for the care of solo-travelling athletes in the case of flight delays, missed connecting flights, flight cancellation (which may or may not lead to overnight delays) or any other eventuality of air travel. If a solo-travelling athlete is stranded or otherwise in need of assistance while travelling, it will be the sole responsibility of parents/guardians.
Packing for Air Travel
Athletes may be asked to only pack carry-on luggage. Athletes must ensure the following items are in their carry-on:
Non-Air Travel
For competitions that do not require air travel, all travel is the responsibility of parents/guardians and will not be arranged or facilitated by Atlantis. Parents/guardians are encouraged to share driving expenses by carpooling.
Ground Transportation
For ground transportation during competition, the travel coordinator, coach and chaperones will determine the best options available. Ground transportation may vary depending on the competition location but will typically involve car rentals, public transportation, cabs and/or Uber. This will largely be determined by pool location relative to the hotel, the number of athletes traveling, and cost.
Chaperones who are renting vehicles must possess a valid driver’s license and are required to purchase base, collision and comprehensive insurance at the time of rental, regardless of duplicate personal coverage. Chaperones using personal vehicles are required to hold base, collision and comprehensive insurance.
In the case of an emergency involving an athlete, chaperones may use personal discretion in deciding whether to call an ambulance or use team ground transportation.
The club has a zero-tolerance policy regarding transporting athletes after consuming alcohol.
Accommodations
The travel coordinator will arrange accommodation bookings or provide all necessary information for parents/guardians to make their own bookings.
The travel coordinator will negotiate all group rate terms, provide deposits (with immediate reimbursement from Atlantis treasurer) and has the authority to sign accommodation contracts, after consulting with the head coach. The travel coordinator will book accommodation and arrange payment for all coach rooms.
Accommodation arrangement is based on the following criteria: cost, location, on-site facilities, availability of cooking facilities, proximity to the pool, and access to other amenities.
When athletes share rooms, the coach will be responsible for rooming lists and adjustments
when necessary. Adjoining rooms or rooms near coaches/chaperones will be prioritized.
Athletes must obtain permission from a chaperone or coach before using any facilities and amenities (including, but not limited to: room service, telephones, restaurants, pay-per-view services and hotel pool).
There will be no more than two athletes per double bed. Coaches are encouraged to room together, if feasible, but may not exceed one coach per bed. In some cases, chaperones may room with athletes, but advance permission must be obtained from the parents/guardians of all athletes in that room.
Athletes, chaperones and coaches are required to stay at the same accommodations. In extenuating circumstances, the head coach may approve alternate arrangements.
Chaperone Accommodations
The travel coordinator will book chaperone accommodations. Chaperones are encouraged to room together, if feasible, but may not exceed on chaperone per bed. Chaperones may request an individual room, but they must cover 50% of the cost of such room. In cases where a chaperone has an individual room due to an odd number of chaperones, they will not be expected to cover 50% of the cost (in such cases, it is expected that chaperones will sort out rooming arrangements between themselves).
Many of the costs associated with travel will be prorated equally and charged to athletes on their Competition Account (in an invoice sent following the competition). In the case where several teams attend the same competition, Atlantis will attempt to separate costs based on actual usage of facilities, dining, accommodation, and coach costs.
Shared Coach Expenses
Athletes are responsible for equally sharing the following coach expenses at away competitions:
Shared Athlete Expenses
Athletes are responsible for equally sharing the following athlete expenses at away competitions:
Shared Chaperone Expenses
Athletes are responsible for equally sharing the following chaperone expenses at away competitions:
Coaches and chaperones are responsible for covering shared expenses out of pocket during the competition and will be reimbursed by the club for eligible costs. Coaches and chaperones will provide all eligible costs and detailed receipts to the club’s treasurer who will ensure that they are reimbursed as quickly as possible.
Individual Athlete Expenses
The following athlete expenses will be paid directly by each athlete and will not be shared:
Families should ensure that athletes have access to sufficient funds (cash, debit card) to cover individual costs while traveling. Coaches will advise parents/guardians of designated team outings and approximate costs of such outings prior to departure in the team itinerary. This will include locations, admission fees and approximate costs for restaurant meals or links to menus. Coaches will endeavor to keep costs reasonable for team extra-curricular activities. Parents/guardians should contact coaches directly with concerns about suitability or cost.
Individual Chaperone Expenses
The following chaperone expenses will be paid directly by each chaperone and will not be shared: