CODES OF CONDUCT
(1) It is important to understand that any person/s from ‘The Club’ or from other clubs; or any other person involved in any sporting and other activities at the club, understand their responsibilities and obligations they must adhere to in order to ensure that we achieve and maintain a safe, harmonious, and fun sporting environment that can be experienced by all people regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religious beliefs, cultural & ethnic background.
(2) The related codes of conduct below have been incorporated and enforced in accordance with our The Clubs governance and Football Federation Victoria’s relevant ‘Code of Conduct’ & ‘Rules of Competition’, as well the relevant and mandatory ‘Government Legislation’ which must be strictly followed and abided by all.
(3) Any breach of thereof will result in ‘disciplinary actions’ and ‘possible expulsion’ in accordance with ‘The Club’ and ‘Football Federation Victoria’s’ internal discipline procedures; as well as possible legal prosecution which is dependent as to the nature of the breach of code of conduct.
Members Code of Conduct
(1) All members must:
(a) Uphold The Clubs values of respect, good sportsmanship, unity, inclusiveness, and all other virtues that underpin our organisation;
(b) All members of our club must never promote the use of verbal or physical abuse in any form; or in sporting activities and support all efforts to remove such abuse from sporting activities;
(c) Do not abuse players, coaches, referees or other parents from the sidelines; or anywhere else during anytime; or in any manner;
(d) Support and encourage the players and each other; and exhaust all efforts to always work as part of a team;
(e) Do not sit on the players bench or otherwise interfere with the progress of the game;
(f) Do not abuse or criticise children during or after a game;
(g) Under no circumstances should adult members approach any child in a threatening or aggressive manner regardless of any perceived offence committed by the child during the game;
(h) At all times, members and their guests are subject to the conditions of Football Victoria’s ‘codes of conduct’, ‘rules and regulations’, ‘by-laws’, ‘policies & procedures’; and all other governance framework of the Roxburgh Park United Soccer Club;
(i) All members are responsible for ensuring the behaviour and conduct of their guests does not breach The Club’s rules, codes of conduct, and all other related policies & governance; failure to do so may result in the member facing disciplinary action in accordance with ‘FFV’ and The Clubs internal disciplinary processes.
(j) All members will act with integrity and will not behave in any way that will bring the club into disrepute.
(2) Any breaches of the aforementioned by any player; coach; parent; spectator; member; or any other person/s (subject to the incident/s); may result in a report and tribunal hearing; and/or disciplinary action that will be taken by The Club in accordance with the clubs disciplinary processes.
Players Code of Conduct
(1) All Club Players must:
(a) Follow & play by the rules and within the spirit of the game.
(b) Do not argue with or abuse any match official or their decisions - (match officials are not required to offer an explanation for any decision that they make).
(c) Mind your temper - verbal abuse of officials, other players, spectators, any others and deliberately distracting or provoking another is not acceptable or permitted before, during, or after any match or any other interaction with others.
(d) Maintain your focus and work hard for yourself and your team.
(e) Act in good faith, practice good sportsmanship, and be prepared to acknowledge and commend any good match play & skills - (whether practiced from your team or the opposition team).
(f) Be respectful and treat all players and others as you would like to be treated.
(g) Do not interfere with or abuse, bully, purposely trip, sabotage, or act unfairly and take advantage of any other competitor/person during or after a match.
(h) Cooperate with everybody else; especially your coaches, team mates, and opponents - (without them, there would be no team, match, or competition).
(i) Take part in the training, matches, and competition for your enjoyment and personal benefits/experience – (don’t just play to please your parents, coaches, team or anybody else).
(j) Remove all jewellery and other hazardous items prior to training and match play – (as it is a hazard to you and those around you).
(k) Do not smoke or consume alcohol while training; at or near the team bench; or within 3 metres of the sideline (Technical Area); or on the sports grounds; or while wearing the clubs uniform; or in any other legally prohibited areas i.e. under covered areas or inside buildings.
(l) Do not accept or use any ‘banned substances’; ‘un-authorised drug/s’, or ‘illegal drug/s’; or ‘consume alcohol’ at any time – those caught doing so will be reported to the authorities/parents and be penalised in accordance with ‘The Club’ & ‘FFV’ disciplinary procedures – (If you are taking medications – notify your coach and the relevant members of ‘The Club’).
(m) Interact with all people equally and respectfully and do not discriminate on the basis of age; disability; gender; political beliefs; sexual orientation; ethnicity; cultural and religious backgrounds; or in any other manner that is not in accordance with our clubs values of respect, inclusiveness, equality, and diversity.
Parents Code of Conduct
All parents must:
(a) Encourage your child’s to actively participate in training, matches, and other activities – (but do not force them).
(b) Do not coach you child during training sessions or matches. It sends mixed signals and creates confusion among players – (this is the role of the coaches).
(c) Support the child’s efforts, performance, and willingness to participate and do not focus on the outcome of the match i.e. (winning or losing); instead congratulate them on their efforts and participation in the game.
(d) Encourage children to always participate in accordance with the rules & spirit of the game.
(e) Remember that the children are playing for their entertainment, not yours.
(f) Never ridicule or yell at a child if they make a mistake or if they lose a game.
(g) Always applaud the efforts and good game play of both teams, so that the children will learn by example and practice respect and positive sportsmanship.
(h) Never promote the use of verbal or physical abuse in any sporting activities and support all efforts to remove such abuse from sporting activities.
(i) Respect the match official’s decisions and teach and encourage the children to do the same.
(j) Do not argue with or abuse any match official or their decisions - (match officials are not required to offer an explanation for any decision that they make).
(k) If you have any issues or concerns that need to be addressed, raise them through the appropriate channels to ensure they are resolved as best as possible.
(l) Do not smoke or consume alcohol at or near the team bench; or within 3 metres of the sideline (Technical Area); or on the sports grounds; or in any other legally prohibited areas i.e. under covered areas or inside buildings.
(m) Respect and appreciate the club officials, coaches, administrators, players, and volunteers and all other people you interact with.
(n) Interact with all people equally and respectfully and do not discriminate on the basis of age; disability; gender; political beliefs; sexual orientation; ethnicity; cultural and religious backgrounds; or in any other manner that is not in accordance with our clubs values of respect, inclusiveness, equality, and diversity.
Coaches Code of Conduct
(1) All coaches must:
(a) Comply with all legislative requirements relating to working with children.
(b) Treat all players fairly, respectfully, ethically and in accordance with the mandatory legislative requirements.
(c) Be reasonable in the coaching and demands expected from younger players who may not be capable of undertaking the same level of physically demanding activities/training regimens as that of the older players.
(d) Modify your method/approach to suit the skill levels and needs of players and avoid overplaying talented players; while neglecting to focus on the less developed players – (as all players deserve equal time and for the less developed to have their skills further developed through fair & balanced coaching).
(e) Remember that young players participate for pleasure and to enjoy the experiences of community sport & winning is part of the fun; not the aim.
(f) Never ridicule, yell, mistreat, embarrass, or treat any player in a bad & disrespectful manner for not meeting expectations; being able to complete an exercise; or losing a match.
(g) Ensure that the facilities and equipment meet the standard OH&S safety guidelines and that they are suitable to the age, ability, and level of all the players.
(h) Teach your players to abide and respect the rules and laws of the game – and to raise their awareness & knowledge of the game through extra time and focus spent on mentoring & teaching them and others.
(i) Any physical contact with the player should be appropriate to the context of the situation and necessary to develop the player’s skill level.
(j) Lead by example and teach and display positive behaviors of respect, professionalism, and good spirits towards opponents, coaches, officials, administrators, spectators, referees, parents, and all others; and also ensure each of your team members shakes the hand of their opponents at the conclusion of a match; so that the players develop the important values of respect and good sportsmanship - which is a reflection of their coaches’ personal behavior towards others.
(k) Keep up to date with the latest coaching practices and ensure you have the required and current qualifications required as a coach - ensure you understand the principles and practices of growth & development of young people in sport - (REFER TO COACH ACCREDITATION CRITERIA).
(l) Ensure you are fully aware of any health issues i.e. sickness, injury, or disability that your players may have and document them; and act accordingly/responsibly to ensure their health & safety are not compromised; and follow the advice of a physician when determining whether or not a player is medically fit to re-commence training.
(m) Do not smoke or consume alcohol from the team bench (Technical Area) or sideline; or while wearing the uniform of the club; while coaching your team; or in front of the players/children; or on the sports grounds; or in any other legally prohibited areas i.e. under covered areas and/or inside buildings.
(n) Ensure you and the players do not swear, abuse others, or use foul language and ensure that any breaches of codes of conduct such as: ‘bullying’, ‘discrimination’, ‘homophobia’, ‘sexism’, ‘violence’, ‘racism’, and Illegal ‘substance’/’alcohol’ use is stopped, documented, and reported to the “Executive Administration”; and take necessary steps to ensure the issue/s are fully resolved in accordance with the clubs member protection policy and mandatory legislative requirements.
(o) Interact with all people equally and respectfully and do not discriminate on the basis of age; disability; gender; political beliefs; sexual orientation; ethnicity; cultural and religious backgrounds; or in any other manner that is not in accordance with our clubs values of respect, inclusiveness, equality, and diversity.
Spectators Code of Conduct
Spectator codes of conduct applies to ‘all’ other person/s; irrespective of their roles within the organisation)
(1) All spectators must:
(a) Follow the relevant Policies and Procedures of The Club; and abide by the Venues Conditions of Entry Rules and Regulations; and follow and abide the Local, State, and Federal Governing Laws.
(b) Respect the decisions of the match officials; and do not argue, abuse, ridicule, heckle, swear, intimidate, harass, or engage in any other form of breach of conduct towards any of our club, or other clubs sporting member staff, volunteers, and officials in any manner as written in accordance with ‘FFA’ &’FFV’ Misconduct By-Laws.
(c) Show respect to all team players and applaud good efforts from all individuals and teams; and congratulate all players and members despite the outcome of the match.
(d) Respect the opposition teams, their staff, and their supporting spectators; and do not mistreat, swear, intimidate; or abuse, heckle, ridicule, argue with, harass, discriminate, use foul language; or act in any other contravening manner towards the aforementioned.
(e) Lead by example and condemn the use of violence, abuse, discrimination or any other form of negative conduct that affects ‘any person’, injures the reputation of our club, its members, Football Federation Victoria & Football Federation Australia, and the sport of Football.
(f) Encourage the players to follow and accept the rules and decisions of the officials; and do not instigate or support any potential abusive or argumentative behavior from players towards opposition teams.
(g) Comply with ‘The Club’ and Football Victoria’s “Conditions of Entry” at our home venue and all other venues.
(h) Do not enter the sports field or any other un-authorised area without prior consent or lawful authority.
(i) Do not abuse or heckle, tease, swear, ridicule or scold a young player for making a mistake or losing a game; rather support, commend, and congratulate them for their efforts.
(j) In the event a spectator possesses a ball as a result of a player kicking it into the crowd during a match; it must be given back to the relevant staff on the sports grounds so that the match can continue un-interrupted.
(k) Practice good spectator sportsmanship and applaud the performances of both teams and congratulate the winning team and respect the final outcome; and do not argue with the any of the opposing team, their staff, and their spectators because you are annoyed or angry with losing.
(l) Do not smoke or consume alcohol at or near the team bench; technical area; or within 3 metres of the sideline (Technical Area); or on the sports grounds; or while wearing the clubs uniform; or in any other legally prohibited areas i.e. under covered areas or inside buildings.
(m) Interact with all people equally and respectfully and do not discriminate on the basis of age; disability; gender; political beliefs; sexual orientation; ethnicity; cultural and religious backgrounds; or in any other manner that is not in accordance with our clubs values of respect, inclusiveness, equality, and diversity.
(n) Do not in any time or in any circumstance engage in discrimination, harassment, or abuse in any form; or engage in obscene or offensive language & gestures, public indecency or; participate in or incite hatred or violence, indecent or racist chanting, reckless behaviour, and/or sexual harassment.
Spectator Terms of Entry (Prohibited Goods)
All spectators must:
a. Comply with any terms of entry of the venue; and
b. Comply with necessary bag inspections;
2. Under no circumstances, or during any period/s of matches, or in other areas; or any other time are any spectators allowed to; ‘possess’; ‘carry’; ‘conceal’; ‘light’, ‘throw’; or ‘use’ any restricted and/or prohibited items and/or contraband at any time such as, but not limited to;
a. (I) flares; (II) missiles; (III) aerosols; (IV) weapons;
3.Nor at any time; in any circumstance; or during any period is a spectator to act in a prohibited manner; or use any other dangerous items; and/or articles; but not limited to that of which could; or has the potential to cause; inflict; or result in;
a. Health & safety hazards; danger to other person/s;
b. Injury; disability; or death to other person/s;
c. Danger; injury; or death to animals;
d. Damage to public & private property;
e. Building & equipment damage
f. Environmental damage;
g. Public nuisance;
h. Security breach;
i. Public security threat;
J. Breach of local, state, & federal laws
(3a) If there are breaches in any of the above provisions; relevant authorities will be contacted; and
(3b) Subject to the incidents severity and in accordance with disciplinary procedures; persons found to be guilty of The Club; and/or be criminally prosecuted).
4. Under no circumstances are spectators to attempt to bring into a venue and use; before; during; or after a match; or in any other situation; or in any other area of the premises:
a. National and/or political flags; or emblems – (except for the recognised flags of the competing teams).
b. Inappropriate and/or controversial banners; posters; symbols; signs; words; pictures; statements; quotes; offensive and controversial political symbols; statements; or expressions; or
c. Any other offensive and/or foul words; whether written, printed, or drawn in English or in any other foreign language; or
d. Any offensive; racist; and or foul physical expressions or gestures acted by; but not limited to the use of body language
(4a) Spectators found carrying; using the above items; or making such expressions/gestures in any period before, during, or after the match; or in any other area; event; or location will be:
a. Asked to refrain from using such items; and/or
b. Asked to stop making such gestures; and/or
c. Have items can be confiscated; and/or
d. Refused entry; and/or
e. Asked to leave the game and premises
Note: Management has the right to refuse entry; if deemed to be of any nuisance, threat, danger; and/or but not limited to; breach of peace and public safety of all others in any situation.