Safety Guidelines for Secondary Interschool Athletics in Alberta

TRIATHLON
• SWIM
• BIKE
• RUN
All Physical
Activities
pg. 1l-17
Water-based
Activities
pg. 31-32
Outdoor Activities
pg. 23-24
Off-site Activities
pg. 33-35
Triathlon (Swim, Bike, Run)
Medium Risk Sport
The following sections must also be consulted: All Interschool Activities,
Outdoor Activities, Water-based Activities, Off-site Activities.
Supervision
• Constant visual supervision by a certified NLS Lifeguard is required during
the swimming portion.
• Constant visual supervision is recommended during initial skill instruction.
• In-the-area supervision is recommended for cycling and running following
initial skill instruction and after all safety concerns have been emphasized.
Instructional Considerations
• Student athletes should train with a partner in all three events.
• A record of student athletes running and cycling, and the route they will be
traveling should be left in the school with the appropriate staff.
• Student athletes should be made aware of the value of wearing wetsuits to
prevent hypothermia.
• Student athletes should be made aware of the importance of eye protection for
swimming, cycling and running.
• Student athletes should not use audio devices during practice and must not use
them during competition.
• Prior to giving athletes access to deep water (above chest height) for swimming,
student athletes must be able to meet the Swim to Survive Standard©, a
sequence of three skills: roll into deep water, tread water for 1 minute, and swim
50 m (Appendix W).
Equipment/Facilities
• Adequate fluid stations should be made available for student athletes during
competition.
• Correctly fitting approved bicycle helmets must be worn, i.e., CSA, ASTM, CE,
Snell or CPSC
• Regular inspection of bicycles should be done to ensure that they are in safe
working order prior to use.
• Bicycle size should be appropriate for the student athlete.
• Bicycles must be inspected by a designated person to ensure that they are in
safe working order prior to competition.
• Bathing suits and/or wet suits should be worn for swimming.
• Teacher/coach should choose routes carefully in terms of length, road surface,
and frequency or speed of traffic during practices.
• Traffic should be controlled during competition.
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Safety Guidelines for Secondary Interschool Athletics in Alberta - February 2012