2020 MHRC-Handbook-revised-2020)

 

Parents and/or Rowers/Coxswains with an interest in joining MHRC should send an email to:

membership@milehighrowing.org

Rower Requirements

• Rowers and coxswains must be at least 13 years old and birth certificates are required for proof of age.
• Rowers (not coxswains) must be able to carry a minimum of 25 lbs. over their heads (divided weight of an eight boat by the number of rowers). 
• Rowers must be at least 100 pounds, and  5'3" for the female team and 5'5" for the male team. Exception for Height requirement is made for the coxswains.
• Rowers/Coxswains must have a championship membership with  USRowing
• Rowers and coxswains must be able to swim and tread water for at least 10 minutes.
• Coxswains (the one who steers the boat should be under 120 pounds for boys and under 110 for girls)  If you weigh more than 125 for a boys boat or 115 for a girls, you will not be permitted to coxswain at races.

Coaches set up practice workouts based on a specific number of athletes in attendance. If an athlete fails to appear at practice or a race, last minute changes consume precious time, and if several athletes fail to attend, the result may be a canceled practice or a missed race for the rest of the team.

• Rowers and coxswains must arrive on time to practices, races, and any other scheduled MHRC event. Those who are late will not be boated.
• Consistent absence from practice is grounds for dismissal from the team without a refund.
• Parent/Guardian email notification at MileHighRowing2020@gmail.com
•  for the Junior Men and the Junior Women may excuse an illness or injury. *This does not apply to Learn to Rows.  You are expected to make all Learn to Rows.  There are no excused days.*
• Written doctors release forms are required to return to practice after missing more than three days of practice due to illness or injury.
•  Known absences such as family vacations and other standing commitments need to be sent to the email addresses above at least two weeks prior to the absence for it to be considered excused.  You will be notified if it is excused.   (Winter and Summer are the best times for family vacations)
• Three unexcused absences will be grounds for  dismissal from the team or suspension from regattas. If proper notification of an athlete’s absence is not received, the coach determines the penalty.
• Except for observed Religious Holidays, there are no scheduled holidays for crew practice. Any other days off are at the coaches' discretion. Try to schedule family vacations around practice or and race days.
• Attendance at practices is required during fall break and spring break.
• Participants are responsible for their own transportation, to and from the Marina for practices and in-state races. MHRC is in no way liable for any members or guests once they leave the Marina or race site after, or during, practices or races.
• Parents: please make sure you have made arrangements for your rower to be picked up on time at the end of practice.  If your rower is not picked up within 10 minutes after practice ends this will count as an unexcused absence.
•  Participation in regattas is required and is a firm commitment of anyone who registers for our programs.  Please refer to the guidelines for individual seasons for regatta requirements.
•  IF AN ABSENCE IS UNAVOIDABLE, PARENTS SHOULD SEND AN EMAIL TO MileHighRowing2020@gmail.com  Email absence notices from rowers are not accepted unless a parent is copied on the email.

A number of forms must be completed for MHRC registration.  Please see the links below.

2020 MHRC-Handbook-revised-2020)

MHRC Swim Form

OFFICIAL-Mile-High-Rowing-Paperwork-2020-2021

 

All fees must be paid before a rower may attend practice.

USRowing strongly encourages the reporting of all forms of misconduct. Reporting issues of
misconduct to USRowing may be done using the USRowing SafeSport Reporting Form
(Attachment #1), USRowing SafeSport Hotline: 610-751-0713, or USRowing SafeSport email: safesport@usrowing.org.
Reporting of issues of misconduct may be made anonymously. However, USRowing
encourages the complainant to provide enough detail to allow for a proper investigation, if
required.
All reports of misconduct are initially treated as confidential. The confidential nature of a
report is maintained until the complainant determines that he or she wishes the report to
become a formal complaint. If a complainant requests, a confidential report may be
provided to USRowing strictly for inclusion in a case file without further action. All reports
involving sexual misconduct will be submitted to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
Organizational Member Reporting
Organizational members may report issues of non-sexual misconduct using any of the above
procedures to USRowing only after they have exhausted all remedies available under their
internal Organizational Member SafeSport Program. A description of the processes and
procedures used by the organizational member should be included with the submission to
USRowing.
USRowing can refer a complaint brought by an outside complainant to the organizational
member for review and require the organizational member to report its findings to
USRowing. USRowing retains the right to conduct an independent inquiry following the
organizational member’s investigation. USRowing also has the discretion to conduct an
investigation of any complaint brought to USRowing regardless of whether local options
have been exhausted.
All issues of sexual misconduct that occur within an organizational member must be
reported directly to the U.S. Center for SafeSport following the procedures found at
https://safesport.org, as well as to state and local enforcement agencies as required.
Attachment # 1
USRowing SafeSport Reporting Form
USRowing strongly encourages the reporting of misconduct. USRowing appreciates your
willingness to report inappropriate behavior.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: ________________
SECTION I: This section is about the individual you are reporting. Please provide as
much information as possible.
1. Name of Individual you are reporting (First & Last):
Comments:
2. Age or Approximate Age:
3. Gender: Male/Female
4. Address (City, State required):
5. Position(s) this individual holds or held (please circle all that apply):
Head Coach / Assistant Coach / Club Employee/ Volunteer / Official / Other / Not sure
6. Club where individual works and/or volunteers or worked/volunteered previously:
Comments:
SECTION II: This section asks questions about the incident or incidents you are
reporting. Please provide as much specific information as you are able.
7. Type of Offense (i.e. what happened?):
8. Where did the incident or incidents take place? (City, State and any other available
location information):
Comments:
9. Please Describe what happened (including who, what, when, where)
Comments:
SECTION III: This section is for information about the victim or victims. If you are the
victim and wish to remain anonymous, you may do so. In that case, please enter only
your age, city, state, and club affiliation.
10. Name:
11. Age (or approximate age):
12. Club affiliation (if any):
13. Contact phone number (Note, if this person is under 18, please provide contact
information for his/her parent or guardian):
14. Contact e-mail address (if this individual is under 18, please provide contact information
for parent or guardian):
15. Gender: Male / Female
SECTION IV: Your Information
You may remain anonymous if you wish. However, providing your information is vastly
helpful to a swift and effective investigation. A person reporting alleged misconduct
should not fear any retribution and/or consequence when filing a report he or she
believes to be true.
16. Name:
17. Phone number:
18. E-mail address:
19. Club affiliation (if any):
20. Relationship to victim (Please circle any that apply):
Self
Parent/Guardian
Other family member
Friend or acquaintance
Club member, coach or volunteer
Other or prefer not to say
SECTION V: Other Information
21. If you have any other information that you feel would be helpful to an investigation of
the alleged offense you have reported, please enter it here:

Mile High Rowing Club - Anti-Bullying Policy

Purpose:

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at Mile High Rowing Club and will not be tolerated. Bullying is counterproductive to team spirit and can be devastating to a victim. The Club is committed to providing a safe, caring and friendly environment for all of our members. If bullying does occur, all athletes and parents should know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. Anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell a coach, board member or captain. Bullying is subject to disciplinary action and can result in expulsion from the club.

Objectives of the Club’s Bullying Policy and Action Plan:

1. To make it clear that the Club will not tolerate bullying in any form.
2. To define bullying and give all board members, coaches, parents and athletes a good understanding of what constitutes bullying.
3. To make it known to all parents, athletes and coaching staff that there is a policy and protocol should any bullying issues arise.
4. To make reporting of bullying, clear and understandable.
5. To spread the word that Mile High Rowing Club takes bullying seriously and that all athletes and parents can be assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported.

What is bullying?

Bullying is the use of aggression, whether intentional or not, which hurts another person. Bullying results in pain and distress. Bullying is the severe or repeated use by one or more persons of oral, written, electronic or other technological expression, image, sound, data or intelligence of any nature (regardless of the method of transmission), or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at any other person or persons that to a reasonably objective person has the effect of:

1. causing physical or emotional harm to the other person or damage to the other person’s property;
2. placing the other person in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his/her property;
3. creating a hostile environment for the other person at any Mile High Rowing Club activity;
4. infringing on the rights of the other person at any Mile High Rowing Club activity; or
5. materially and substantially disrupting the training process or the orderly operation of any MHRC activity.

Reporting Procedure

Grievance Reporting Procedure

If any member wishes to report or questions the actions of another member, coach or staff member of the MHRC, they can promptly report the facts of the incident(s) and the name of the involved individual(s) to an MHRC staff member. The following is the proper procedure for filing a grievance:

1. Assistant Coach –A member’s Assistant Coach should be contacted first, and given the immediate opportunity to directly address the concerns that have been raised;
2. Head Coach – The Head Coach is the next point of contact if the Assistant Coach is unable to

positively resolve the issue in question, or if it is uncomfortable working with the Assistant

3. President and the Board of Directors - This group will make a final determination of a dispute or grievance only if satisfactory results have not been achieved from the process outlined above.

 

How we handle bullying

If bullying is occurring during team-related activities, we STOP BULLYING ON THE SPOT using the following steps:

• Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help
• Separate the kids involved
• Make sure everyone is safe
• Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs
• Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders
• Model respectful behavior when you intervene.

 

If bullying is occurring at our club or it is reported to be occurring at our club, we address the bullying by FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED and SUPPORTING THE KIDS INVOLVED using the following approach:

 

FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED

1. First, we get the facts.

• Keep all the involved children separate.
• Get the story from several sources, both adults and kids
• Listen without blaming
• Don’t call the act “bullying” while you are trying to understand what happened
• It may be difficult to get the whole story, especially if multiple athletes are involved or

the bullying involves social bullying or cyberbullying.

• Collect all available information.

2. Then, we determine if it's bullying. There are many behaviors that look like bullying but require

different approaches. It is important to determine whether the situation is bullying or something

else. Review the definition of bullying;

To determine if the behavior is bullying or something else, consider the following questions:

• What is the history between the kids involved?
• Have there been past conflicts?
• Is there a power imbalance? Remember that a power imbalance is not limited to physical strength. It is sometimes not easily recognized. If the targeted child feels like there is a power imbalance, there probably is.
• Has this happened before?
• Is the child worried it will happen again? Remember that it may not matter “who started it.” Some kids who are bullied may be seen as annoying or provoking, but this does not excuse the bullying behavior

3. Once you have determined if the situation is bullying, support all of the kids involved

 

SUPPORTING THE KIDS INVOLVED

1. Support the kids who are being bullied

• Listen and focus on the child. Learn what’s been going on and show you want to help. Assure the child that bullying is not their fault.
• Work together to resolve the situation and protect the bullied child. The child, parents, and fellow team members and coaches may all have valuable input. It may help to:
• Ask the child being bullied what can be done to make him or her feel safe. Remember that changes to routine should be minimized. He or she is not at fault and should not be singled out.
• Develop a game plan. Maintain open communication between the Club and parents. Discuss the steps that will be taken and how bullying will be addressed going forward.
• Be persistent. Bullying may not end overnight. Commit to making it stop and consistently support the bullied child.

2. Address bullying behavior

• Make sure the child knows what the problem behavior is. Young people who bully must learn

their behavior is wrong and harms others.

• Show kids that bullying is taken seriously. Calmly tell the child that bullying will not be tolerated. Model respectful behavior when addressing the problem.

Work with the child to understand some of the reasons he or she bullied. For example:

• Sometimes children bully to fit in or just to make fun of someone is a little different from

them. In other words, there may be some insecurity involved.

• Other times kids act out because something else—issues at home, abuse, stress—is going on in

their lives. They also may have been bullied. These kids may be in need of additional support.

• Involve the kid who bullied in making amends or repairing the situation. The goal is to help

them see how their actions affect others.

• Avoid strategies that don’t work or have negative consequences:
• Zero tolerance or “three strikes, you’re out” strategies don’t work. Suspending or

removing from the team athletes who bully does not reduce bullying behavior. Athletes

may be less likely to report and address bullying if suspension or getting kicked off the

team is the consequence.

• Conflict resolution and peer mediation don’t work for bullying. Bullying is not a

conflict between people of equal power who share equal blame. Facing those who have bullied may further upset kids who have been bullied.

3. Support bystanders who witness bullying. Every day, kids witness bullying. They want to help, but

don’t know how. Fortunately, there are a few simple, safe ways that athletes can help stop            bullying when they see it happening.

1. Be a friend to the person being bullied
2. Tell a trusted adult – your parent, coach, or club board member
3. Help the kid being bullied get away from the situation. Create a distraction, focus the attention

on something else, or offer a way for the target to get out of the situation. “Let’s go, practice is about to start.”

1. Set a good example by not bullying others. Don’t give the bully an audience. Bullies are encouraged by the attention they get from bystanders. If you do nothing else, just walk away.

 

Mile High Rowing Club -Sexual Harassment Policy

 

Purpose of Policy

It is the policy of MHRC to provide an educational environment free of sexual harassment. To accomplish this purpose, the policy is designed to secure, at the earliest level possible, an appropriate resolution to an allegation of sexual harassment.

This policy is intended to supplement, and not replace, any applicable state or federal laws and regulations. Complaints under these laws and regulations shall be processed through the procedures established by the appropriate state and/or federal agencies.

It is the position of MHRC that sexual harassment is unlawful and will not be tolerated. It is a violation of this policy for any employee, athlete, parent, visitor, guest, or partner with whom MHRC has a cooperative agreement, or any other party, to engage in sexual harassment.

Definition of Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment can be defined using educational system constructs for the definition, ie Sexual harassment means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, made by someone from or in the work or educational setting, under the following conditions:

 

1. Submission to a conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individual's employment, academic status, or progress.
2. Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis of employment or academic decisions affecting the individual.
3. The conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact upon the individual's work or academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.
4. Submission to or rejection of the conduct by the individual is used as the basis for any decision affecting the individual regarding benefits and services, honors, programs, or activities available at or through the educational institution.

 

Specifically, sexual harassment may occur as a pattern of degrading sexual speech or actions ranging from verbal or physical annoyances or distractions to deliberate intimidation and frank threats or sexual demands.

 

Examples of conduct that may constitute sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:

 

1. Suggestive or obscene letters, notes, invitations, derogatory comments, slurs, jokes, epithets,

assault, touching, impeding or blocking movement, leering, gestures, display of sexually

suggestive objects or pictures, or cartoons;

2. Among peers, continuing to express sexual interest after being informed that the interest is

unwelcome. (Reciprocal attraction, among peers, is not considered sexual harassment.);

3. Within the educational environment, implying or actually withholding earned nor deserved

advancement; suggesting a poor performance evaluation will be prepared; or suggesting a scholarship recommendation or college application will be denied as a condition of receiving sexual favors;

4. Within the educational environment, engaging in sexual behavior to control, influence, or affect the educational opportunities, grades, or learning environment of an athlete; and
5. Offering favors or education or employment benefits, such as promotions, favorable performance evaluations, favorable assignments, favorable duties or shifts, recommendations, reclassifications, etc., in exchange for sexual favors. Any expression of sexual interest between adults and athletes, regardless of reciprocity, is considered inappropriate and shall be subject to discipline.

 

Reporting Procedure

Any athlete who believes he or she has been sexually harassed by an employee, agent or athlete of MHRC, should promptly report the facts of the incident(s) and the name of the individual involved to the Head Coach, President or the Board of Directors. All staff members, upon personal knowledge of an incident of sexual harassment, are obligated to report it within three (3) days to the Head Coach or the Board of Directors. Failure to do so is a violation of this policy. Athletes who feel aggrieved because of unwelcome conduct that may constitute sexual harassment are not required to inform the person engaging in such conduct that the conduct is unwanted, offensive and must stop, but are encouraged to do so. An aggrieved athlete is not required to complain to his or her coach if that coach is the individual who is harassing the athlete. An individual making a report may bring an advocate to assist him or her.

 

Confidentiality

An allegation of sexual harassment and the results of the investigation shall be kept confidential to the extent reasonably possible under the investigation process. Witnesses and those interviewed shall be informed of the confidential nature of the issues and the investigation, and shall be informed that it will be a violation of this policy to disclose the allegation or the nature of the investigation to others and shall be subject to disciplinary action as defined in this policy.

Retaliation Is Prohibited

The initiation of an allegation of sexual harassment will not subject the individual reporting the incident or witnesses to retaliation nor will it affect such person’s future business or educational dealings with MHRC. It shall be a violation of this policy to engage in such retaliation. An allegation of retaliation shall be considered as a separate incident, shall be investigated, and shall be subject to disciplinary action as defined in this policy.

 

Time Limits

Allegations of sexual harassment shall be reported as soon as reasonably possible after the conduct in question has taken place.

Investigation Guidelines

All investigations of allegations of sexual harassment shall be handled promptly, in a serious,

sensitive, and confidential manner.

1. The Head Coach or the Board of Directors shall inform the athlete, employee or other person accused of sexual harassment of the allegation and that they will be given an opportunity to respond.
2. All parties, specifically including complainants, and witnesses, will be promptly and fully informed of their rights pursuant to this policy, including the fact that complainant and witnesses will not be retaliated against and the confidential nature of the allegation and investigation.
3. A written report of the investigation findings shall be filed with the head of school as soon as practicable after the incident was reported. A copy of the findings shall be mailed to the athlete who reported the harassment and the person accused.

Disciplinary Action

When an allegation of sexual harassment is supported by the investigation and disciplinary action is necessary, the Head Coach and/or the Board of Directors will determine what course of action is appropriate, depending upon whether the harasser is a athlete, staff member, or agent of MHRC or other party.

Employees who violate this policy may be subject to discipline up to and including discharge. Such disciplinary action shall be in accordance with applicable policies, laws, and/or agreements.

Athletes who violate this policy may be subject to discipline up to and including expulsion. Such disciplinary action shall be in accordance with state law.

 

Notification

The policy will be published in any comprehensive publication of rules, regulations, procedures and standards of conduct for MHRC and will also be distributed to all faculty and staff at the beginning of each season or at or about the time of hiring as well as to athletes in orientation programs.

Special Assistance

It is expected that questions may arise concerning the interpretation of the prohibition against sexual harassment, the methods and procedures to be followed in the investigation of complaints, and the appropriateness of specific solutions in disposition of complaints. For assistance in these matters, the Head Coach or the Board of Directors may be contacted.

 

Source: This document was inspired by a similar document created by Episcopal High School in Houston, Texas and The Branson School in Ross, California.