Code of Conduct for Coaches

Always be publicly open when working with young people. Avoid situations where you and an individual child are completely unobserved.

Contact or touching which is inappropriate (not directly related to the coaching context) or aggressive will NOT be tolerated.

Teams are to be supervised in changing rooms. Coaches will have separate changing rooms. Only coaches and CRB checked adults will be admitted to the changing rooms. Coaches must be vigilant whilst in the changing room.

Attention will always be given to gender. Females will be given separate changing rooms.

Volunteers will respect the rights and dignity of all and treat them with equality.

Coaches must place the well being and safety of the player above the development of performance. Coaches should:

•Avoid overplaying of players (particularly talented players). All players need and deserve equal opportunity to play.
•Remember that young people play for fun and enjoyment and that winning is only part of it.
•Motivate youngsters through positive feedback and constructive criticism.
•Ensure that contact skills are taught in a safe, secure manner, paying due regard to the physical development of young players.
•Never allow young players to train/play when injured.
•Ensure equipment and facilities are safe and appropriate to the age and ability of the players.

Coaches should keep up to date with knowledge and technical skill and should be aware of their own limitations. Coaches should only work within the limitations of their knowledge and qualifications.

Coaches must ensure that the activities which they direct or advocate are appropriate to the age, maturity and ability of their players.

Coaches should always promote the positive aspects of their sport (e.g. fair play) and never condone law violations or use of prohibited substances.

Coaches must consistently display high standards of personal behaviour and appearance.

Coaches should never overtly criticise players or use language actions which may cause the players to lose self esteem or confidence.

Young players should not be allowed to drink alcohol or encouraged to drink alcohol if they are under the legal age to do so.

Prohibited Practice

Everyone should also be aware that as a general rule, it does not make sense for a coach to:

•Spend amounts of time alone with children away from others.
•Take children alone on car journeys, however short
•Take young people to their home or other secluded place where they eill be alone.
•Engage in rough physical games, sexually provocative games or horseplay with young people.
•Take part in any dynamic games or training sessions with young people. If there is a need for an adult to facilitate learning within a coaching session through the use of coaching aids e.g. contact pads, this should be done with utmost care and with due regard to the safety and well being of young players.
•Allow any form of inappropriate touching or make sexual suggestive remarks to a young player, even in fun.
•Use inappropriate language or allow young players to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
•Allow allegations by a young person to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.
•Do things of a personal nature for a young person that they can do for themselves. (Please note that it is recognised that some young people will always need help with things such as lace tying, adjustment of tag belts fitting, head guards, etc).
•Depart the rugby club until the safe dispersal of all young people is complete.

If it should arise that such situations are unavoidable they should only take place with full knowledge and consent of a Committee Member and/or a person with parental responsibility for the player.

If a coach accidently hurts a player or causes distress in any manner or the player appears to respond in a sexual manner to your actions, misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done, report the incident to a colleague supported by a written report of the incident as soon as possible. Parents/carers should also be informed of the occurrence.

Code of Conduct for Match Officials

When umpiring young players, match officials should:
•Recognise the importance of fun and enjoyment when officiating young players.
•Provide verbal feedback in a positive way during games.
•Appreciate the needs of the players.
•Be a positive role model.
•Recognise that safety is paramount.
•Explain decisions – most young players are still learning.
•Never tolerate verbal abuse

Officials should not:
•Change in the same area as young players.
•Shower with young players – agree a timetable with the coaches.
•Be alone with young players at any time – if a young player comes into the dressing room, ensure another adult is present.
•Check studs without the coach being present.
•Administer first aid.
•Allow a young player to continue playing if there are doubts about their fitness.
•Tolerate bad language from young players.
•Engage in any inappropriate contact with young players.
•Give a lift to a player unless there are other young people or adults in the car and the parents are aware.
•Take a young player to your home.
•Overtly criticise young players or use language which may cause the player to lose confidence or self-esteem.
•Make sexual explicit remarks to young players, even in fun.

Officials must always:
•Report in writing to the Club Child Protection Officer and/or Junior Secretary, behaviour by adults which you feel contravenes the Child Protection Policy:
-Verbal bullying by coaches/parents/spectators.
-Physical abuse by coaches/parents/spectators.
-Inappropriate or aggressive contact by an adult to a young person.
-Verbal abuse directed at the official by young people or adults.

Augustinians Cricket Club

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