Code of Behaviour

At Emu Plains Hockey Club we take great pride in the behaviour of our members and the high standards of sportsmanship displayed. To assist everyone involved with our club, we have adopted the Australian Sports Commission Codes of Behaviour as a minimum standard. By registering with our club you agree to abide by this Code of Behaviour.

Download the Australian Sports Commission’s Junior Sport Codes of Behaviour document here.

Players’ Code of Behaviour

Play by the rules.
Never argue with an official. If you disagree, have your captain, coach or manager approach the official during a break or after the competition.
Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials or other players, deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent is not acceptable or permitted in any sport.
Work equally hard for your self and/or for your team. Your team’s performance will benefit, so will you.
Be a good sport. Applaud all good plays whether they are by your team, opponent or the other team.
Treat all players as you would like to be treated. Do not interfere with, bully or take unfair advantage of another player.
Co-operate with your coach, team-mates and opponents. Without them there would be no competition.
Play for the ‘fun of it’ and not just to please parents and coaches.
Avoid use of derogatory language based on gender.

Parents’ or Guardians’ Code of Behaviour

Encourage children to participate, if they are interested. However, if a child is not willing, do not force him or her.
Focus upon the child’s efforts and performance rather than the overall outcome of the event. This assists the child in setting realistic goals related to his/her ability by reducing the emphasis on winning.
Teach children that an honest effort is as important as victory, so that the result of each game is accepted without undue disappointment.
Encourage children to always participate according to the rules.
Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a game.
Remember children learn best from example. Applaud good plays by all teams.
If you disagree with an official, raise the issue through the appropriate channels rather than questioning the official’s judgment and honesty in public. Remember, most officials give their time and effort for your child’s involvement.
Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from sporting activities.
Recognise the value and importance of volunteer coaches. They give their time and resources to provide recreational activities for the children and deserve support.
Avoid use of derogatory language based on gender.

Spectators’ Code of Behaviour

Remember that children play organised sports for fun. They are not playing for the entertainment of spectators only, nor are they miniature professionals.
Applaud good performances and efforts from each team. Congratulate all participants upon their performance regardless of the game’s outcome.
Respect the official’s decisions. If there is a disagreement, follow the appropriate procdure in order to question the decision and teach the children to do likewise.
Never ridicule a player for making a mistake during competition. Positive comments are motivational.
Condemn the use of violence in any form, be it by spectators, coaches, officials or players.
Show respect for your team’s opponents. Without them there would be no game.
Encourage players to follow the fules and the officials’ decisions.
Demonstrate appropriate social behaviour by not using foul language, harassing players, coaches or officials.
Avoid use of derogatory language based on gender.

This Code of Behaviour is sourced from the Australian Sports Commission.