Integrated Club-Level Participation

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STRATHMORE WATER POLO CLUB

Integrated Club-Level Participation Policy

Participants with Disabilities – Strathmore Aquatic Centre

Effective Date: September 2026

1. Purpose

Strathmore Water Polo Club is committed to providing a welcoming, respectful, inclusive, and safe environment for all participants.

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the participation of athletes with disabilities in regular Strathmore Water Polo Club programming at the Strathmore Aquatic Centre.

The Club recognizes that athletes have different abilities, strengths, support needs, and levels of independence. Wherever reasonably possible, the Club will work with athletes and their families to support meaningful participation within the Club’s existing programs.

Participation will be considered on an individual basis, with primary consideration given to:

  • athlete safety;
  • the safety of other participants, coaches, and facility users;
  • the athlete’s ability to meaningfully participate in the program;
  • available coaching and supervision;
  • reasonable accommodations;
  • the nature and requirements of the specific water polo program; and
  • Strathmore Aquatic Centre policies and facility requirements.

2. Scope

This policy applies to athletes participating in Strathmore Water Polo Club programs held at the Strathmore Aquatic Centre, including recreational, developmental, and competitive club-level programming.

This policy applies to athletes with physical, developmental, intellectual, sensory, neurological, or other disabilities who may require accommodations or additional support to participate safely and successfully.

3. Guiding Principles

Strathmore Water Polo Club will make reasonable efforts to provide inclusive participation based on the following principles:

Dignity
Participants will be treated with respect and as valued members of the Club.

Individualized Participation
Decisions will be based on the individual athlete’s abilities and support needs rather than solely on a diagnosis or disability.

Integration
Where appropriate and safe, athletes with disabilities will participate alongside other athletes within the program that best matches their age, swimming ability, water polo skills, developmental level, and support needs.

Safety
Water safety is the highest priority. No accommodation will be implemented if it creates an unreasonable safety risk for the athlete, other participants, coaches, or facility users.

Communication and Collaboration
Parents/guardians, athletes where appropriate, coaches, Club representatives, and facility staff may work together to identify reasonable strategies for successful participation.

Independence
Athletes will be encouraged to participate as independently as reasonably possible while receiving appropriate support when required.

4. Registration and Disclosure of Support Needs

Parents/guardians are encouraged to advise the Club during registration if their athlete has a disability, medical consideration, communication need, behavioural support need, mobility consideration, sensory need, or other circumstance that may affect safe participation.

Families are not required to provide unnecessary medical information.

The Club may request information that is reasonably necessary to:

  • understand the athlete’s functional abilities in an aquatic environment;
  • identify potential safety concerns;
  • determine appropriate accommodations;
  • understand communication or behavioural support strategies;
  • establish emergency procedures; or
  • determine whether additional individual support is required.

Information provided to the Club will be treated respectfully and shared only with individuals who require the information to safely support the athlete.

5. Participant Assessment

When additional support or accommodation may be required, the Club may arrange a discussion and/or in-water assessment before confirming program placement.

The assessment may consider:

  • swimming ability;
  • comfort and confidence in deep water;
  • ability to safely enter and exit the pool;
  • ability to tread water or otherwise remain safe in the water;
  • ability to follow safety instructions;
  • ability to communicate needs or distress;
  • ability to participate within a group environment;
  • response to physical contact typical of water polo;
  • endurance and physical abilities;
  • behavioural or sensory considerations;
  • level of supervision required;
  • ability to participate in drills, games, and activities;
  • emergency support requirements; and
  • the effect of any proposed accommodation on the overall safety and operation of the program.

The purpose of an assessment is to determine appropriate supports and placement and is not intended to unnecessarily exclude an athlete from participation.

6. Program Placement

Placement will be based on the program that provides the most appropriate combination of:

  • safety;
  • age;
  • swimming ability;
  • water polo skill;
  • developmental readiness;
  • social participation;
  • available support; and
  • reasonable accommodation.

An athlete may be placed in a program that differs from their chronological age group where the Club determines that another group provides a safer or more appropriate participation environment.

Placement decisions will be made collaboratively where possible.

7. Reasonable Accommodations

The Club will consider reasonable accommodations that allow an athlete to participate while maintaining the essential requirements and safety of the program.

Examples may include:

  • modified instructions;
  • visual demonstrations;
  • additional processing time;
  • modified drills;
  • reduced repetitions or distances;
  • scheduled rest periods;
  • alternative methods of completing an activity;
  • use of appropriate adaptive equipment where permitted;
  • modified communication strategies;
  • positioning the athlete closer to a coach;
  • gradual introduction to activities;
  • participation in selected portions of a practice;
  • assistance from a parent/guardian or support person where approved; or
  • other individualized strategies agreed upon by the Club.

An accommodation does not necessarily require the Club to fundamentally change the nature of the water polo program or remove essential safety requirements.

8. Swimming and Water-Safety Requirements

Water polo programs may involve:

  • deep water;
  • continuous swimming;
  • treading water;
  • rapid changes in direction;
  • ball handling;
  • physical contact;
  • group drills;
  • scrimmages; and
  • situations where athletes may be temporarily submerged or surrounded by other participants.

Athletes must demonstrate a level of water safety appropriate for the program in which they participate.

Where an athlete cannot independently meet the necessary water-safety requirements, participation may require additional approved support.

The Club may restrict or modify an activity when a coach reasonably believes an athlete cannot participate safely at that time.

9. Support Persons

Some athletes may require individual assistance beyond what can reasonably be provided by the Club’s regular coaching staff.

When this occurs, the Club may require a parent/guardian or designated support person to attend practices or activities.

Any support person entering the pool deck or water must:

  • receive approval from the Club and, where required, the Strathmore Aquatic Centre;
  • comply with facility rules;
  • follow the direction of Club coaches and facility staff;
  • maintain appropriate boundaries;
  • support the athlete without interfering with coaching or other participants; and
  • complete any required screening, registration, waivers, certifications, or other requirements applicable to their role.

Unless specifically arranged by the Club, coaches cannot provide continuous one-to-one supervision to an individual athlete when they are responsible for coaching an entire group.

10. Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

Parents/guardians are expected to provide the Club with relevant information necessary to safely support their athlete.

Parents/guardians are responsible for:

  • communicating known safety concerns;
  • advising the Club of significant changes affecting participation;
  • providing medications or emergency information where applicable;
  • explaining effective communication, behavioural, sensory, or mobility strategies;
  • ensuring required personal or adaptive equipment is available;
  • providing an approved support person when this has been identified as necessary; and
  • maintaining respectful communication with coaches and Club representatives.

Parents/guardians should not assume that Club coaches have specialized training related to a particular disability unless specifically advised by the Club.

11. Coach Responsibilities

Coaches will make reasonable efforts to:

  • provide clear and respectful instructions;
  • promote inclusion within the team;
  • implement agreed-upon accommodations;
  • encourage athlete independence;
  • communicate concerns to the appropriate Club representative;
  • maintain appropriate supervision;
  • follow emergency and facility procedures; and
  • respond appropriately when participation creates a safety concern.

Coaches are not expected to provide medical treatment, personal care, behavioural therapy, or specialized one-to-one support outside the reasonable scope of their coaching role.

12. Behaviour and Group Participation

All athletes are expected to follow the Club’s applicable codes of conduct and behavioural expectations to the best of their ability.

The Club recognizes that a disability may affect communication, emotional regulation, sensory processing, attention, or behaviour. Where appropriate, reasonable accommodations and support strategies will be considered.

However, behaviour that creates an immediate or significant safety risk may require the athlete to temporarily leave an activity or the water.

Repeated concerns will be reviewed with the athlete and parent/guardian to determine whether:

  • additional accommodations can be implemented;
  • a support person is required;
  • participation should be modified;
  • a different program placement is appropriate; or
  • participation cannot safely continue under the available circumstances.

13. Physical Contact

Water polo is a physical sport. Even at developmental levels, athletes may experience incidental or intentional sport-related contact during drills and gameplay.

Where physical contact may present a particular risk to an athlete, parents/guardians must advise the Club.

The Club may modify or restrict participation in contact-based activities where reasonably necessary for safety.

14. Personal Care

Club coaches and volunteers are not responsible for providing personal care unless this responsibility has been specifically authorized and appropriately arranged.

Personal care may include:

  • toileting;
  • changing;
  • feeding;
  • transferring;
  • administering medication;
  • medical procedures; or
  • other personal assistance outside normal coaching responsibilities.

Where personal care is required, the parent/guardian is responsible for making appropriate arrangements.

15. Emergency Planning

Where an athlete has specific emergency support needs, the Club may require an individualized emergency plan.

The plan may include:

  • emergency contact information;
  • signs that the athlete may be in distress;
  • appropriate communication strategies;
  • evacuation or mobility assistance;
  • seizure or other emergency response information;
  • location of required medication or equipment; and
  • instructions for contacting emergency medical services.

Club coaches and volunteers will act within their training and scope of responsibility during an emergency.

16. Facility Requirements

All participation is subject to the policies, procedures, safety requirements, capacity restrictions, and operational requirements of the Strathmore Aquatic Centre.

The Club cannot authorize an accommodation that is prohibited by the facility.

Where necessary, the Club will work with facility representatives to determine whether an accommodation can reasonably be implemented.

17. Limits of Accommodation

The Club will make reasonable efforts to accommodate athletes with disabilities; however, an accommodation may not be possible where it would:

  • create a significant safety risk;
  • require continuous one-to-one supervision that the Club cannot reasonably provide;
  • fundamentally change the nature of the program;
  • interfere substantially with the participation or safety of other athletes;
  • exceed available staffing or facility capacity;
  • conflict with Strathmore Aquatic Centre requirements; or
  • require coaches or volunteers to perform duties outside their qualifications or reasonable scope of responsibility.

Before determining that participation cannot be supported, the Club will consider whether alternative reasonable accommodations or program arrangements are available.

18. Trial Participation and Review

Where appropriate, an athlete may participate on a trial basis to determine whether the proposed program placement and accommodations are suitable.

During the trial period, the Club may review:

  • athlete safety;
  • participation;
  • independence;
  • accommodation effectiveness;
  • supervision needs;
  • interaction with teammates;
  • coaching requirements; and
  • overall program suitability.

Accommodations and participation plans may be adjusted when necessary.

19. Confidentiality

Information regarding an athlete’s disability or support needs will be handled respectfully and confidentially.

Information will only be shared with coaches, volunteers, facility representatives, or other individuals when reasonably necessary to support the athlete’s safety and participation.

20. Respectful and Inclusive Environment

Harassment, bullying, discrimination, ridicule, or exclusion based on disability will not be tolerated.

Athletes, parents/guardians, coaches, volunteers, and Club representatives are expected to contribute to an environment where all participants are treated with dignity and respect.

21. Participation Decisions

The Strathmore Water Polo Club Board, or an individual designated by the Board, may make final decisions regarding program placement, accommodations, support requirements, or participation where safety or operational concerns arise.

Whenever reasonably possible, decisions will be made in consultation with:

  • the athlete;
  • the parent/guardian;
  • the athlete’s coach;
  • appropriate Club representatives; and
  • Strathmore Aquatic Centre representatives where facility considerations are involved.

The Club will endeavour to explain participation decisions and identify alternative options where available.

22. Ongoing Review

Participation arrangements may be reviewed throughout the season.

A review may occur when:

  • the athlete’s needs change;
  • safety concerns arise;
  • the athlete progresses and requires fewer accommodations;
  • additional accommodations become necessary;
  • coaching or facility circumstances change; or
  • the athlete moves to another program level.

The goal of any review is to maintain safe, meaningful, and successful participation wherever reasonably possible.

23. Policy Statement

Strathmore Water Polo Club believes that athletes with disabilities should have meaningful opportunities to participate in sport.

The Club will work collaboratively with athletes and families to promote inclusion while recognizing the unique safety requirements of an aquatic team sport.

Integration does not require every athlete to participate in every activity in exactly the same manner. Successful inclusion may involve modifications, additional supports, alternative participation methods, or individualized expectations while preserving the athlete’s dignity, belonging, safety, and opportunity to develop as a member of Strathmore Water Polo Club.