2013/14 BELLMAWR CODE OF CONDUCT

NO ADDRESSING REFEREES!!!
Bellmawr Hockey insists that all coaches and spectators refrain from addressing referees during the game. These referees are VOLUNTEERS, please remember that!


ZERO TOLERANCE!!!
Bellmawr Street Hockey has established a "ZERO TOLERANCE" policy towards physical abuse, verbal abuse and harassment. Violation of these rules will not be tolerated. Players, coaches, parents and spectators will remain under control and will NOT address an official or question a call. These rules will be strictly and immediately enforced.

PHYSICAL ABUSE:
Physical abuse is when a person purposefully injures or threatens to injure another person. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, physical contact or a perceived threat between a player, coach, game official, parent or fan that intentionally creates a threat of immediate bodily harm or personal injury. Physical abuse does not include physical contact that is reasonably designed to referee the game or to coach, teach or demonstrate a hockey skill. Permitted physical conduct may include, but is not necessarily limited to, shooting balls at a goaltender, demonstrating hockey skills, and communicating with or directing players, during the course of a game or practice, by touching them in a non-threatening, non-sexual manner.

VERBAL ABUSE:
Verbal abuse or harassment is defined as conduct, gestures or comments which are insulting, intimidating, humiliating, hurtful, malicious, degrading, or otherwise offensive to an individual or group of individuals, and which creates a hostile or intimidating environment for sports activities, or which negatively affect performance. Any of the different forms of verbal abuse or harassment may be based on the grounds prohibited in human rights legislation, such as race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation and religion. Verbal abuse or harassment may occur between peers (e.g. player to player, parent to official, coach to coach, fan to official) or between someone in a position of power or authority and an individual in a subordinate position (e.g. coach to player, commissioner to coordinator, or coordinator to coach).

These guidelines are applicable to players, coaches and parents.

1.   You are representing The Bellmawr Street Hockey Association (BSHA) at all times and should conduct yourself in a manner of which you and the association will be proud. Expectations exist for everyone associated with BSHA and their conduct and contributions make for a better team and a better organization.

2.  There is to be no swearing in the stands or public areas during games and practice.

3.   Coaches and their staff must remember that they set an example for their players. They must behave in an appropriate manner whenever they are functioning in their role.

4.  Parents should remember that we are developing players, coaches and referees. Your behavior and conduct should be positive and encouraging of everyone involved in the game.

5.   Team members/coaches will not smoke, chew tobacco or drink alcohol during.

6.   Coaches and players are responsible clean up of benches during and after games and practices.

7.   Any disputes must be handled with respect and common sense. Matters should be referred to and handled by the liaison for each division. BSHA is now enforcing the 24 hour rule in dealing with matters: Parents should wait 24 hours after an incident to contact your child’s coach. Except of course, where matters are deemed to be serious and potentially dangerous to a player(s) or the team, the concerned party is to contact a managing committee member (FALL) or a member of the Board immediately. The general order of contact for disputes is – Coach, Division Liaison, other board member of the BSHA board.

8.    BSHA is about player development. All players and lines will be used in all game situations during the regular season. Coaches have discretion on the use of players and lines as established with the team and parents at the beginning of the season.

9.   The Board will deal with any conduct issues on an individual basis, following the Code of Conduct, BSHA policies and guidelines.