LEAVES OF ABSENCE
HOW TO TAKE A LEAVE OF ABSENCE
VOLUNTARY LEAVES OF ABSENCE
No voluntary leaves of absence are permitted in the elementary levels of the year-round, competitive team (Copper, Nickel, Steel).
Year-round swimmers in the Intermediate and Advanced levels (Bronze and higher) may take a voluntary leave of absence for up to three consecutive months. Only one leave of absence is permitted during the year. You must be registered for the entire swim year, August-August, in order to be eligible for a leave of absence. Swimmers who register after the August/September registration season will not be eligible for a leave of absence.
Leaves of absence must be requested in writing, using the "Contact Us" button on the team's website. A minimum of one week's notice before the month-end processing is requested, to allow the Parent Board time to process the change. Requests must be submitted at least one week before the end of the month preceding your leave (not one week before your leave start date). Leave requests must be for a full calendar month; prorated or partial-month leave is not available.
For example: If you wish to begin leave on December 5, your request must be received by November 24, and your leave will cover the entire month of December.
Until a written request for leave is received and acknowledged by the Parent Board, monthly coaching fees will continue to be charged and the family will be responsible for paying those fees, whether or not the swimmer is attending practice.
A maintenance fee of $25/month will be charged during any month of voluntary leave, and the swimmer’s place on the team will be held for them. All maintenance fees must be paid in full before a swimmer on leave will be allowed to return to active status.
If a swimmer does not return to active status at the end of three consecutive months of leave, the team reserves the right to cancel the swimmer’s membership and offer his/her place on the team to a new member.
MEDICAL LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Medical leaves of absence are managed on an individual basis. If your swimmer needs to take a leave of absence for medical reasons, please contact the Parent Board President to discuss details and options.
HIGH SCHOOL AQUATICS SEASONAL LAYOFFS
High School Swimmers will only be allowed one layoff per year if and only if they have been registered for the entire swim season beginning in August of each year.
Layoffs for high school sports will not be allowed for swimmers who register after the August registration season. If swimmers will attend their regular high school team practices during high school aquatics seasons (water polo and/or swimming), they may lay off of the Gators during one of these seasons*. Layoffs for high school aquatics seasons are not subject to a monthly maintenance fee.
*NOTE: To qualify for a high school layoff, a swimmer must practice full-time with their high school team. If swimmers will attend regular Gator practices and NOT their own high school team practices, they are considered full-time Gator swimmers and must pay regular monthly coaching fees, whether or not they will compete for their high school team in high school meets. Swimmers may be invited to attend Alameda High School morning practices during water polo season and swim season at Head Coach Marshall Dortch's discretion. Attending those practices does not disqualify you from layoffs because those practices are not considered Gators practices.
The designated months of layoff for water polo season are August, September and October. The designated months of layoff for swim season are Februaru, March and April. (Because high school swim season typically spans half of February and half of May, we charge for only one of those months.) Gator fees are not charged during these months if the swimmer is not participating in Gator practices.
It is each family’s responsibility to notify the Parent Board if a swimmer will be laying off for high school aquatics. In the absence of notification to the Board, monthly coaching fees will continue to be assessed and will not be refunded, whether or not the swimmer is attending Gator practices.
At the end of each high school season (late October and late May), all high school swimmers on layoff will be automatically returned to active status on the Gators and monthly billing will recommence. If a swimmer does not intend to return to the team at the end of water polo or swim season, the family must notify the parent board of this prior to Nov. 1/June 1. If notification is not received, monthly coaching fees will be charged and will not be refunded.
