Players Code of Conduct

Players within the club must:
 

• Play by the rules
• Never argue with an official. If you need clarification have your captain, coach or manager approach the official during a break or after the competition.
• Work equally hard for yourself and your team. Your teams performance with benefit — so will you.
• Be a good sport. Applaud all good plays whether they are made by your own team or the opposition.
• Show respect to and acknowledge opponents and officials (e.g. shake hands before and after the game and say things like ‘good luck’,
• ‘thanks for the game’, ‘thanks ref’, ‘three cheers for...’)
• Cooperate with your coach, team-mates and opponents. Without them, there would be no competition.
• Be on time for training sessions, matches and competitions so as not to disrupt the smooth running of their team.
• Participate for your own enjoyment and benefit, not just to please parents and coaches.
• Play fair — no verbal abuse of officials, sledging other players (including vilification) or deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent.
• Respect the rights, dignity arid worth of all participants regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.

Parents/ Spectators Code of Conduct
 
Parents/Spectators within the club must:

• Attend games on a regular basis and assist in the organization of club activities.
• Remember that children participate in sport for their enjoyment, not yours.
• Encourage children to always play according to the rules and settle disagreements without resorting to hostility or violence.
• Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or not winning.
• Respect officials’ decisions and encourage children to do likewise.
• Show appreciation for volunteers, coaches, officials and administrators.
• Applaud good performances and efforts from all individuals and teams.
• Congratulate all participants, regardless of the game’s outcome.
• Condemn the use of violence, verbal abuse or vilification in any form, whether by spectators, coaches, officials or players.
• Support policy and practices (and lead by example) in relation to responsible use of alcohol, to child protection issues and to issues involving recreational and performance enhancing drugs.
• Support involvement in modified rules games and other junior development programs.
• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person, regardless of their gender, ability, cultural backgrounds or religion.

Coaches/ Helpers Code of Conduct

Coaches within the club must:

• Remember that young people participate for pleasure and winning is only part of the fun. Place the well-being and safety of any juvenile above the development of performance and adhere to all guidelines laid down by the club and GAA in general.
• Give young people the chance to try out different playing positions.
• Create opportunities for participants to team appropriate sports behaviour as well as basic skills.
• Give priority to free play activities, skill learning and small-sided games over highly structured competitions.
• Ensure activities are appropriate to the age, maturity and ability of the younger player.
• Keep up to date with coaching practices and qualifications and the principles of physical growth and development.
• Take responsibility for ensuring training is kept up to date and keep abreast of any developments within the association.
• Ensure you are working at a level commensurate with your coaching qualifications.
• Promote a culturally tolerant environment.
• Help young people understand that playing by the rules is their responsibility.
• Always promote positive aspects of sport and never condone or participate in rules violation, bad sportsmanship, the use of foul or abusive language and banter, the use of prohibited substances, the use of gestures or emblems, which could be interpreted as provocative.
• Encourage young people to participate in administration, coaching and refereeing as well as playing.
• Operate within the rules and spirit of the sports and teach your players to do the same.
• Relate to officials in courteous and polite way.
• Ensure that any physical contact with a young person is appropriate to the situation and necessary for the player’s skill development.
• Implement relevant sport safety policies and practices.
• Arrive on time for all coaching sessions, competitions, social occasions and coaches must inform an appropriate person if they unable to attend.
• Encourage and guide young people to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance and encourage young people to feel confident and comfortable in making personal choices.
• Ensure attendance records are kept of all recognized club sessions with the attendance of each participant noted appropriately.
• A club incident form must be used to record any accidents, injuries or untoward event.
• Implement policy and practices (and lead by example) in relation to responsible use of alcohol and in relation to recreational and performance enhancing drugs.
• Listen to your players and ensure that the time they spend with you is a positive experience.
• Adhere to and promote awareness of the Club Drug & Alcohol policy.
• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of their gender ability, cultural background or religion.
• I understand and agree to abide by this Code of Conduct. I understand that failure to abide by this Code of Conduct will result in disciplinary action by the club committee.