How to Create a Code of Conduct for Players & Coaches
Before beginning any season of any sport, it is important for all coaches and players to understand the goals of their team and the expectations for each person. By establishing a Code of Conduct for coaches and players, there will be an overall structure that each coach and player can adhere to and work towards in every practice and every game. Codes of Conduct build rapport between the players and their coaches, between the players themselves, and helps build confidence and self-esteem for the individuals and for the team as a unit.
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Instructions
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Code of Conduct for Coaches
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Do your research. If you are a coach creating a Code of Conduct for yourself and other coaches, either at your school or for your league/team, research other teams' codes of conduct for coaches and see what may or may not apply to your document. Coaches have a lot of responsibility and building this Code of Conduct is a serious matter that shouldn't be taken lightly. Make calls to other coaches in your area to see if they can provide assistance.
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In establishing a Code of Conduct, things to consider are:
•What are your responsibilities as a coach? Some examples: be a positive role model, enhance the reputation of the coaching community, be honest and forthright, maintain proper certification when required, follow the rules set by the league.
•Respect the rights and dignity of each player on the team. Such rights include equal participation no matter the player's skill level, the right to play as a child and not an adult (where applicable), the right to proper preparation for participation in sports, and the right to equal treatment/no discriminatory practices on the basis of gender, race, religion, etc.
• How your decisions will impact your players. Such decisions to make code can be to not place players in competitive situations until they are properly trained or sufficiently recovered from injury, and to acknowledge special skills each player has and work with them to enhance those skills.
• The fundamentals of the sport revolve around spirit and sportsmanship. As a coach you should set guidelines to ensure you and every other leader involved on the team knows all rules and regulations for the sport and that they are properly communicated to the team and to the parents; you should always respect the authority of the referees or judges in every match, as well as respect the coaches and players from opposing teams; and finally, encourage fans to uphold these same characteristics in support of their team.
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Once you have written your first draft, submit your draft to the other coaches for their input, and then ultimately to the Athletic Director or League Director, or if you are the Director, to your manager. Make sure once the Code of Conduct for Coaches is approved, all coaches sign it before each season.
Code of Conduct for Players
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Just as important as the Coaches Code of Conduct, the Player's Code of Conduct should be the first thing a team member reads and signs before their first practice. A Player's Code of Conduct should include the following guidelines:
•Building team rapport through sportsmanship and encouragement. Being a good sportsman goes beyond treating your fellow teammates with respect but also reaches out to your coaches, officials, parents and even fans.
•Keeping attendance rules. Encourage the players to commit to attending all practices and games and having proper notification rules set. Being on time should also be followed and consequences understood for tardy members.
•Include information on the importance of education (when applicable).
•Create a list of promises for the players, like remembering to always have fun, to take each moment of the season as an opportunity to learn, to adhere to the rules and regulations of the game and the league, and to behave in a sportsmanlike manner (no profanity, no fighting, no endangering behavior).
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For the players, especially when they are of impressionable ages, a list of warnings and consequences for the players if there are failures to adhere to the code of conduct is necessary. Such consequences would start with verbal warnings, then written warnings, then game suspension and finally season suspension.
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Have the players bring their Code of Conduct home to their parents so they can also sign the document and keep encouraging their child to adhere to the guidelines of their team and sport.
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Tips & Warnings
In youth sports leagues, a Code of Conduct for Parents is becoming more prevalent. Guidelines for parents can include not shouting to confuse the child from hearing their coaches voice; cheer for your child for participating, not just if they score; cheer for the other team members; suffer in silence if the other team makes a good play or scores; remain in one place throughout the game (don't run up and down the field or court); respect officials, coaches and other parents; and, most importantly, have fun and let your child see you are having fun, so they know it's about fun, too.
