A new policy is in place to help staff at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex put a stop to private coaching and soliciting at the centre.

“To see somebody from the outside coming in and coaching, whether it’s coaching for payment or otherwise, it’s sort of offensive to the user group,” says Andrew Planke, past-president of the Leamington Lasers Swim Team, in favour of the policy noting the swim team has to pay rent and insurance to use the facility.

“On any given day of the week there’s a father in the gymnasium,” says Rob Lavoie, owner of Swim 2 Win, concerned the policy prohibiting private coaching will mean parents could be in trouble for coaching their children at the complex. “The father will be teaching his son how to dribble, how to shoot a foul shot. He would be coaching his son how to become a better basketball player.”

Lavoie, who works as a representative for young swimmers and has been paid for coaching services, was assured by Leamington administration parents aren’t targeted as part of the policy.

The policy formalizes an unwritten practice at the complex to stop unwanted solicitation as well as unauthorized private coaching. Charity and not-for-profit groups won’t be banned from setting up at the complex as part of their fundraising campaigns under the new policy.