Players, Parents, Spectators & Coaches

Code of Conduct & Disciplinary Procedures

1. Purpose

Watertown Association for Youth Soccer (WAYS) values sportsmanship, fair play, skill development, and mutual respect among all players, coaches, officials, and spectators. This Code of Conduct has been established and adopted to ensure the guiding principles of WAYS are understood and met by all individuals associated with this organization.

This Code of Conduct applies to all sports and activities associated with WAYS. These activities include, but are not limited to, sign-up sessions, tryouts, practices, games (home and away), and any activities, scheduled by WAYS.

The Code of Conduct for players, parents, spectators and coaches will be thoroughly discussed at the pre-season coaches meeting. In addition, this Code of Conduct, including the Disciplinary Procedures will be available on the WAYS website for reference.

The following codes of conduct will be strictly enforced.

2. Players Code of Conduct

Each player will ensure that his/her playing conduct is that of a young lady or gentleman fairly competing to the limit of his/her ability. To satisfactorily meet these responsibilities, the player is expected to:

a. Know the rules and abide by them.

b. Respect the game officials and refrain from addressing them or commenting on their decisions during the play of the game.

c. Maintain control of his/her emotions, avoiding the use of abusive language or profanity, humiliating remarks, gestures of ill temper, and physical assault upon another player at any time.

d. Respect the coaches and players of the opposing team and demonstrate appropriate gestures of sportsmanship at the conclusion of game. Be humble and generous in victory and proud and courteous in defeat.

e. Realize, accept, and practice the principle that a team’s reputation is built not only on its playing ability but also on the sportsmanship, courtesy, and manners of each individual player.

f. Attend every practice and game that is reasonably possible and notify the coach in advance if you are unable to attend.

3. Coaches Code of Conduct

The Head Coach will be provided with copies of the Code of Conduct prior to the start of the season. Each Head Coach is responsible to see that their assistant coaches, players, and spectators abide by the respective Code of Conduct. It is also the coach’s responsibility to review the Codes of Conduct with their assistant coaches and players.

Each coach will ensure that his/her conduct is that of a responsible adult fairly competing to the limit of his/her ability. To satisfactorily meet these responsibilities, the coach is expected to:

a. Know the rules and abide by them.

b. Instruct players on the rules and coach his/her team in such a way as to motivate each player to always compete according to the rules.

c. Place the emotional and physical well-being of the players ahead of any personal desire to win.

d. Respect the game officials and refrain from questioning their decisions in a disrespectful or abusive manner.

e. Ensure that fans of his/her team always conduct themselves with sportsmanship and maturity while in attendance at game sites and assist the game officials in maintaining control of spectators during the games.

f. Respect the coaches and players of the opposing team both during the play of the game and at its conclusion, win or lose.

g. Teach each player, especially through personal example, to be humble and generous in victory and proud and courteous in defeat.

h. Maintain control of his/her emotions and avoid actions, language, and/or gestures that may be interpreted as hostile and humiliating.

i. Instruct team support personnel in their responsibilities in accordance with established rules and procedures.

j. Realize, accept, and practice the principle that a team’s reputation is built not only on its playing ability, but also on its sportsmanship, courtesy, and manner.

4. Parents and Spectators Code of Conduct

Each parent and spectator will ensure that his/her conduct is that of a responsible adult or youth who are positively encouraging all participants to the limit of his/her ability. To satisfactorily meet these responsibilities, each parent and spectator is expected to:

a. Respect the rules of the game.

b. Respect the game officials and refrain from questioning their decisions or from addressing them in a loud, disrespectful, or abusive manner.

c. Cheer for their team in a positive, supportive manner.

d. Place the emotional and physical well-being of the players ahead of any personal desire to win.

e. Maintain control of his/her emotions, avoid the use of abusive language, profanity, and gestures of ill temper, and refrain at all times from making hostile or negative remarks about the opposing team.

f. Leave the soccer field in a timely fashion after the conclusion of a game.

g. Demonstrate appropriate gestures of sportsmanship at the conclusion of a game, win or lose. Do not interact in a negative fashion with fans, players or coaches of the opposing team or game officials.

h. Realize, accept, and practice the principle that a team’s reputation is built not only on its playing ability, but also on the sportsmanship, courtesy, and citizenship of its fans.

5. Offensive Actions

Any individual violating the Code of Conduct set forth above shall be subject to penalties and sanctions as set forth in the Disciplinary Procedures below. In addition to conforming to the requirements of the Code of Conduct above, the following actions are specifically prohibited (“Offensive Actions”):

a. Refusing to abide by an official’s decision.

b. Verbally abusing or assaulting any player, coach, official, parent, spectator, or WAYS Board Member.

c. Physically assaulting, abusing, or threatening any player, coach, official, parent, spectator, or WAYS Board Member.

d. Stalking, tailing, or attempting to intimidate any player, coach, official, parent, spectator, or WAYS Board Member.

e. Engaging in any other type of violent behavior, such as throwing equipment or other objects.

f. Engaging in any lewd or sexual behavior, physically abusing a player, or engaging in any inappropriate physical contact with a player.

g. Unless specifically allowed by the rules of the sport, pushing, shoving, or striking any player.

h. Using drugs or alcohol while coaching, attending, or participating in any WAYS event.

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

1. Reporting Improper Conduct

a. Reporting By Coaches

i. It is the responsibility of every coach to address improper conduct observed by the coach or brought to the coach’s attention in a timely and respectful manner.

ii. In the event any coach feels that the Disciplinary Committee should be involved in addressing any improper conduct, the coach is encouraged to contact the Disciplinary Committee as noted on the WAYS website.

iii. Coaches must report any Offensive Actions to the Disciplinary Committee, including, without limitation:

• 1) Any report or allegation of inappropriate physical contact, violence, or threatened violence against any player, coach, official, parent, spectator, or WAYS Board Member.
• 2) Any observed or reported use of drugs or alcohol by any player, coach, official, parent, or spectator during any WAYS event.
• 3) Any situation where a player, coach, parent, or spectator is ejected from a game or removed from the premises.

iv. Coaches are encouraged to keep the Disciplinary Committee informed of any improper conduct and the steps taken by the coach to address the misconduct, even if the coach is not required to report the misconduct to the Disciplinary Committee.

v. Coaches shall promptly respond to any request by the Disciplinary Committee for information relating to any incident or violation of the Code of Conduct.

b. Reporting by Parents and Spectators

i. Parents and spectators are encouraged to report any improper conduct to the coach and/or the Disciplinary Committee.

ii. If a parent or spectator reports misconduct to the coach and feels that the misconduct is not appropriately addressed, the parent or spectator is encouraged to contact the Disciplinary Committee through the WAYS website.

2. Procedures for Addressing Improper Conduct

a. Coaches and Officials

i. Coaches and officials shall promptly address any misconduct that is observed or brought to the attention of the coach or official during an WAYS event.

ii. Officials shall promptly address any misconduct with the Head Coach if there is any misconduct whatsoever with a parent(s) and/or spectator(s). The Head Coach shall then be responsible for addressing the reported misconduct with the parent(s) and/or spectator(s). If the parent(s) and/or spectator(s) do not comply with the Head Coach’s request, then the officials has the authority to end the game.

iii. Officials have the absolute authority to issue verbal warnings and/or eject any coach from any game or match if the coach violates the Code of Conduct or engages in any Offensive Action.

b. WAYS Disciplinary Committee

i. The WAYS Disciplinary Committee will conduct a timely and reasonable investigation into any misconduct reported to the Disciplinary Committee. The scope of any investigation will be determined by the Disciplinary Committee in its sole discretion, provided, however, that the Committee will provide any person accused of misconduct a reasonable opportunity to be heard.

ii. After a reasonable investigation, the Disciplinary Committee will determine the appropriate penalty for any violation of this Code of Conduct and any Offensive Action.

• 1) Penalties will be based on the nature and severity of the violation.
• 2) The Disciplinary Committee will strive to treat all similar offenses in a similar manner, while taking into account the individual facts and circumstances of each violation.
• 3) The Disciplinary Committee will not discriminate in any manner in determining whether to impose a penalty or in determining which penalty to impose.

iii. The Disciplinary Committee will keep reasonable and appropriate records of each reported violation and shall document each penalty and the reasons for imposing the penalty.

All decisions of the Disciplinary Committee are final and cannot be appealed.

1. Penalties

The Disciplinary Committee shall determine the appropriate penalty for any violation of the Code of Conduct and any Offensive Actions. Penalties may include any one or more of the following:

a. Verbal Warning

b. Written Warning

c. Suspension:

• i. One game suspension
• ii. Multiple game suspension, or
• iii. Indefinite suspension
• d. Expulsion from WAYS
  
  

2. Additional Considerations

a. If a coach or parent is expelled from the league, any child associated with that person is also expelled from the league.

b. If a parent is suspended for a set number of games, then the child of that parent will also be suspended for the same number of games. The same principle shall apply if a parent is expelled from attending any games, then the child shall be expelled as well.

3. There are no refunds as a result of any person being removed from the league.

By signing below, the Player, Parent/Guardian, and Coach agrees to abide by and be subject to this Code of Conduct.

PLAYER:

Player (Printed): ________________________________________________

Player Signature: __________________________________________________________

Date: _______________________

PARENT/GUARDIAN:

Parent/Guardian (Printed): ________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: __________________________________________________________

Date: _______________________

COACH:

Coach (Printed): ________________________________________________

Coach Signature: __________________________________________________________

Date: _______________________

This Code of Conduct is required to be fully executed, turned into the Head Coach, and then provided to a WAYS Board Member prior to participation in any WAYS game.